Between Sand and Steel
by Cosmic Sky
Summary: Sequel to "Desert Embrace". As far as secret relationships go, Link and Riju would like to believe they've been pretty successful. Unfortunately, all that's about to change as new dangers emerge to threaten a rebuilding Hyrule. Once more Link will have to assume the mantle of the hero, and Riju will have to dig deep to find the queen she was born to be.
1. Chapter 1-Life of Bliss

**Well, this is a place I never thought I'd be, but what the hell. As many have requested and since the idea and I've grown attached to it, I give you all the sequel to "Desert Embrace". Now to get a few things out of the way, the pairing is Link/Riju and the setting is post-game meaning Hyrule is going through its VERY long reconstruction stage. There will be lemons and adult content so you've all been warned. Now, onto the story!**

 **I do not own anything.**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 1-Life of Bliss**_

As a Gerudo climbing had been a skill Riju had picked up at a fairly young age in spite of her heritage. As royalty, several had attempted to dissuade her form pursuing such dangerous practices citing her role as a monarch being reason enough to not engage in an activity that could possibly end in her injuring herself or worse. Thankfully, his mother and a handful of other advisers had pushed past all of them and answered Riju's prayers. Indeed, it was dangerous, but the thrill far outweighed the danger; or maybe that was the whole point. They say the closer one flirted with death the more their blood raced, though she was no warrior Riju had to admit there was a grain of truth in those words. Sand seal racing wasn't exactly the safest sport in the world and horror stories were at times told of epic wipeouts, usually the kind that ended with blood splattered over sand and stone. Rock climbing was no different in a way, except she was told the cost of failure would hit harder and faster before death claimed her life for a fatal mistake.

One thing she admired about adventuring and rock-scaling was the breath-taking views often awaiting at the peaks of the mountains and hills. In hot desert a special sight awaited those courageous enough to scale the many rocky cliffs and formations that dotted the landscape. Often it was said painters had risked their lives for the chance to record the dazzling sunrises and sunsets that could be witnessed from the peaks of the high rises. Others merely scaled the terrain so they could prove themselves or engrave what they saw into their memories. Though the times she'd done so were few, Riju had scaled the rocky mountains of her homeland and had been justly rewarded. Still, there were time she wondered what lay beyond the dark-colored sands of her home, what sights could one glean from scaling the fabled snow-covered mountains that stood beyond the desert.

Thanks to one strong, cunning, and most of all, handsome Hylian, her wish had been granted, in spades.

"Woah," Mouthed the Gerudo sending out a cloud of cold air that vanished almost as soon as it manifested. At first, that too had amazed Riju but the sight before her quite literally took her breath away.

Beside her, a male voice chuckled in amazement. "Told you you'd love it. It's no rock and sand, but cold weather has its pleasures, especially if you've never seen any of it before. Just be careful not to trip or fall. Trust me, that's what we brought the shields for."

Only paying half-minded attention to her boyfriend's words Riju continued to stare at the view brought about by climbing to one of the highest points in the Hebra mountains. Snowflakes no larger than the center of her fingers continuously fell from a gray sky adding to what looked to her an eternal sea of powdery white. The first time she'd seen snow it'd been in a book her mother had read to her. She described it as the polar opposite of sand leaving her with a small but burning passion to see it for herself. Years later and thanks to the hand of the blond beside her she finally had the chance. It didn't disappoint.

"This is…incredible, that's…really all I can say." Spoke the queen of the Gerudo holding out her hands to feel the cold wind plow past them. Though bundle up appropriately for the weather a slight chill still raced through Riju's body. Link had told her that was natural, but to her who'd been born and raised in a dry and arid land it felt deeply unnatural. Not even the harsh coldness the desert often brought with it at night could compare to the cold wind battering her body. She took solace in it, especially once she felt a pair of strong arms wrap around her waistline. "Link," whispered the redhead feeling a blush working its way into her cheeks. "I don't know how to thank you for this, I…I really don't."

"Cuddling time when all of this is over would be nice, but for now the look on your face will do." Whispered the Hylian softly kissing her brightly red-colored hair. In truth, the moment they were sharing in that moment was more than enough for him. Having the woman he loved in his arms, her face one of wonder and awe as they stared at the icy mountains that made up the Hebra region. In the distance he could make out the brilliant shine of the Hebra Tower softly humming with renewed energy. Upon seeing it he'd recalled the tough task of climbing it to activate it, a tale which he told to his Gerudo lover who stared at the distant landmark with narrowed eyes. She'd often asked him what it was like having to climb the Sheikah Towers and his answer was always the same-tough but rewarding. Those times he could teleport the two of them to the top of a tower so they could view Hyrule from up high especially made the "rewarding part" shine bright like a star. "Out of curiosity, how's all this snow and wind comparing to the desert?"

"Heh, while I'll always root for my homeland this place is proving to have its charms. As I suspected, more exists to Hyrule than our merchant town in the middle of 'nowhere'. Hey, think we Gerudo can set up a shop somewhere out here?" Spoke Riju notching her head to the side. "You've been all over Hyrule and charted out most of it. If anything, I should appoint you as some sort of shop scouter."

Smirking at the suggestion, Link stepped back and turned the Gerudo around in his arms. "That actually sounds like a good idea. Not to mention it'd give us the chance to see each other more, provided the elders are willing to let you out." The redheaded beauty rolled her eyes before wrapping her arms around his neck to bring him in close for a kiss. Red-hot fire raced through their respective bodies driving away the coldness that had once tightly wrapped their bodies. Link's clothed arms coiled around the slender waist of his Gerudo lover while his head craned to the side further deepening the kiss. Breaking apart oh so slightly they felt the other's breath tickle their skin.

"First one down to the bottom gets to be on top." Whispered the redhead with a hungry look in her eyes.

It took Link a second to realize what she'd just said, a second and the near villainous smirk on her face. His realization came a moment too late as two hands suddenly pushed him backward sending him into the white snow. Laughter rung in his ears, sweet laughter that made him forget all about the bitter cold wave spreading across hi back. Sitting up right he caught his girlfriend grinning at him. A quick wink proceeded her throwing out her shield then sliding down the mountain slope.

"Riju, you're so going to pay for that!" Happily, shouted the blond looking around for his shield.

"Make me!"

Spotting the custom-designed shield he grabbed it and stood over the ledge. Riju was already trailing down the snow as if she were born to the white substance instead of the hot sand. "Oh, trust me, I _will!"_

Shield surfing, without a doubt one of the most dangerous activities in all of Hyrule. But also one of the greatest when it came to sheer excitement and adrenaline.

Grinning all the way, Link took off after his girlfriend. His hands remained tightly held to the rim of the round piece of equipment as he swayed from side to side in order to avoid obstacles as well as get a leg up. Peering ahead he was able to make out the shape of Riju masterfully skipping over the snow. Rather it was a sand seal or a horse it seemed when it came to riding mounts and vehicles she was a natural. It was no wonder she fostered a strong desire to see the outside world and was so welling to go with him on his outings when the chance arouse. She wasn't kidding about say in another life she would have liked to have been a racer; Riju certainly had the skill and heart for it.

Cold air whipped at the Gerudo's face as she zipped past trees and rocks. It took a good chunk of willpower to keep from fully losing herself to the thrill that came with sliding down hill. Sand-surfing was similar to this, but the sheer coldness was entirely new to her and had lit a fire within the young chieftain. Almost all of her pores and senses opened as if a key had been turned. A grin plastered across her face she continued her downward decent almost hoping it'd never end.

Both their shields had been custom made for the sole purpose of surfing down rough terrain. In truth, Link had been the one to do most of the design work since he had the most free-time on his hands, not to mention the creative know-how in how to make them durable enough to withstand the kind of action they were putting them through. When he presented her with a stylized Gerudo Shield he'd proudly boosted if she ever found herself in combat it would function just as well as it did as a sled. Link's words had proven true when tested on the sand and rock of the Gerudo Desert, and now they'd been vindicated as she sped down the icy slops of Hebra Mountain. The fact she was leaving her beloved shield's creator in the snowy dust was just the cherry on top to the whole thing. Leaning forward Riju braced herself as she slid over an upturned piece of rock and went airborne.

If rationality had a foothold in Link's mind he would have screamed in horror at the sight of the redheaded Gerudo ascending almost twenty feet into the air after pulling off a jump like that. He had pride in his crafting skills and faith in Riju's ability to stick the landing. After making the same jump as her he found his feelings hadn't been misplaced as she was still sliding along just fine, and still ahead of him. At this rate he was going to lose both the race and the bait. Neither thought bothered him that much, in fact, the second had him giddy and nearly caused him to lose control and wipe out. That said, Link still had his pride and that had to be nourished from time to time. Glancing to the side he realized even with the seemingly increasing gap between him and the Gerudo he could take the lead. Wearing a wicked grin, he pulled to the right.

Riju was pretty sure they were almost half-way down the mountain as she could just barely see the ground coming into sight. Glancing backward she let out a gasp of shock to find her boyfriend missing from her line of sight. Knowing Link. she doubted he'd wiped out somewhere and possibly hurt himself. If she had to guess odds were, he was planning something, something that would snatch victory from her hands. Feeling a sudden tug in her gut she began to somewhat nervously look to the mountain sides as she neared the finish-line.

"HEADS UP, RIJU!"

What happened next nearly made her heart jump inside of her chest. Sounding like a cross between a clap of thunder and a balloon piping she jerked her head to the far right. A pillar of snow and ice had gone up temporarily making it hard to see what had happened. Realizing Link's voice had come from there she began to search the area, glancing upward she saw a thin trail of blue eye and at the end of it was, "Link! What in Din's name are you doing?!" She shouted over the roaring winds.

"Winning!" Yelled the Hylian as he maneuvered the shield so that the front end was directed towards the sky. A blue light flashed then there was a circular-shaped burst of azure energy. Smiling like a loon Link was propelled forward as if he'd been shot out of a cannon. Wide-eyed and mouth open Riju could do nothing but watched as he performed a stupidly cool and insanely dangerous flip in mid-air that ended with him crashing right beside her. Snow was shot into her face and eyes causing the chieftain a moment of discomfort. "See you at the bottom, and I'll be on top this time!"

The lead which had been hers since the race began was now his, and he let her know it by the arrogant laugh that followed him as he sped downward.

Wiping the snow from her eyes the Gerudo glared at the Hylian. "Oh no, no I won't! I'm going on top this time, and winning this race!" Leaning forward she attempted to close the new gap between them to little avail. Gradually, Link was growing further and further away from her and there was little she could do to stop him. _That sly jerk! He must have modified his shield somehow! Did he plan this whole thing?!_ Probably not, given Link's personality he more than likely intended to just show off in front of her. Of course, thanks to her impulsiveness that had changed a little and the bedroom had come into play. Gnashing her teeth, she focused tightly on Link's ever dimming form even as she bobbed and weaved out of the way of obstacles. The more she focused the clearer her image of Link became, almost as if nothing else existed between the two of them.

Link smelt the ozone building in the air and let his combat instincts take over. Without hesitation he zipped to his left; his hair stood on end as a literal ball of light green electricity materialized within feet of him. The cackling mass attracted his hair and released an invisible heat wave that had Link sweating in his insolated furs and coat. As his body sweated the snow beneath the lightning ball melted in seconds as a testament to the power of the instinctive attack.

He didn't look back. Link could already picture the look of horror and surprise manifesting on Riju's face as she quickly realized what she'd just done and how close she came to seriously injuring him. A wipeout while shield surfing was usually bad, but one while the body was spasming from an electric shock? It'd take some serious wooing to calm her down, and get her to realize how proud of her he was.

The race continued as if nothing had happened, for him at least. Riju wished she could stop time itself so she could understand what had just happened. Link never once looked back at her which caused her no end of worry. Was he angry with her? Horrified? The whirlpool of doubt and fear that bubbled upward from within her sucking in all the excitement and frustration that had previously fluttered throughout her body. As the seconds ticked by Riju began to feel it would be better if the race never ended, that way she'd never have to face the possibly breaking off of her and Link's relationship, and maybe even the desolation of their friendship.

Her hopes were crushed when Link passed a set of trees they'd both marked as the "finish line" of their competition. Sliding to a stop he jumped onto his feet then kicked up his shield. Riju swallowed the growing lump in her throat as she passed the tree line as well. Shaking in her skin the Gerudo slowly stood up, her shield-turned-snowboard nervously held in her arms.

"L-L-Link," she began catching his attention. This was one of those rare times his face was unreadable to her, and those times were what scared Riju. "I-I-I didn't mean to-"

Placing his hands atop of hers the Hylian helped her lower the shield. The young chieftain stared in shock at the smiling face of her blond lover. A quick chuckle preceded him leaning forward pressing his lips against hers. Riju automatically dropped the shield and gasped at Link's sides as if he were about to disappear any second. Kicking the shield to the side he wrapped his arms around her slender waist once more. Even if it'd only be for a minute or two they'd been separated from each other for too long.

"You're not mad?" Whispered the younger of the two when they finally broke apart.

"Why would I be mad?" Link whispered allowing her forehead to rest on his shoulder. "You're Urbosa's niece, I always knew you had her magic power in you."

"And you're okay with me using you as an unwitting test dummy?" Giggled Riju basking in her love's warmth. Truly he was a hero worthy of praise, and worthy of her opening herself up to him. "I don't know if you're crazy or just a little stupid, I'm leaning towards crazy because of some of the stunts I've seen you pull off."

"No offense, but that makes you crazy for choosing to be with me." Replied the blond.

Riju pulled back with a coy smile plastered on her lips. "As far as potential suitors go, I'd say you're a pretty good pick. Excellent warrior, one of the original Champions, bodyguard of the Princess Zelda, Slayer of the Calamity Ganon, and Hero of the Wilds. Matter of fact, I think you'd have to be just a tiny bit crazy to earn all those titles. Oh, and boyfriend of the future Queen of the Gerudo."

"Who I managed to talk into sneaking out for some alone time that ended with a reckless snowboard race." Added the adventurer.

"Oh, come on! You know I talked _you_ into coming with me!" Grinned the Gerudo woman. Catching sight of her shield she walked over and picked it up. Though her association with Sheikah technology was minimal she recognized the tech when she saw it, and its growing number of modified variants. What she was looking at was a new issue Ancient Shield, or well, since it was new the word "ancient" probably no longer applied. Up close she could see some sort of pulse emitter, no doubt the feature that had allowed Link to perform that jump he'd used to take the lead. "Cute toy, now then, are you going to be a good boyfriend and share with me?"

"Um, I already gave you one of the latest Sheikah Slats that came out." Nervously laughed the Hylian stepping backward.

"Oh please, I'd have gotten that based on formality." That one, he had to give to her. It'd taken time and a great deal of work, but eventually Purah had managed to crank out the first of the mass produced Sheikah Slats. As the leader of the Gerudo Riju had been given her own slat which hung proudly at her hips. "You know, a shield like yours would make for a good birthday gift or something. That is if you can swipe one from Hateno Village R&D. Better yet, you could just take me there one day."

"Sure you're up for it?" He asked gently taking back his shield. When Purah had gifted it to him she'd made no bones about him personally paying for it were the device seriously damaged. From the looks of things his little trick hadn't put too heavy a dent in the advanced tech.

"I just slid down a snowy mountain, hell, I was willing to come all the way out here for the sake of diplomatic relations." Crossing her arms, she leered at him with a cheeky smile he'd always found attractive. "You know, I could just arrange for a 'diplomatic' visit to Hateno Village and have you show me around."

Watching her kick up her shield and place it on her back Link laughed. "That might be considered an abuse of power, Queen Riju."

"Wouldn't be my first." She smiled back at him.

The desire to kiss one another was strong and evident in the eyes of both youths. Had it not been for their respective Slats blaring their alarms they more than likely would have given in to their impulses. A heavy sigh escaped Riju's green lips as she realized it was time for her to go back to the role of the regal and composed chieftain that was needed of her, and that meant no Link for a while. The Hylian merely gave his girlfriend a bitter sweat smile. He too hated it when they had to separate, but he knew the time would come when they could and would see each other again. Catching sight of his peaceful expression Riju couldn't help but smile and hold out her hand. Link graciously took it.

Nearly two months into their relationship and they were still struggling to make due, but in those struggles they'd found happiness, and that happiness they wouldn't trade for anything else in the world.

* * *

 _ **Kakariko Village, Late Evening…**_

"Home sweet home!" Yawned Link stretching his arms toward the orange-tinted sky causing his companion to giggle. "Man, talk about a long day."

"If anyone should be saying it was long, it ought to be me. After all, I'm the one who had to do most of the work while you seemingly disappeared." Softly chided Zelda. "If I ask you what you were doing will you give me a straight answer?"

"Depends, is this a trick question?"

Zelda laughed as she dismounted along with Link to return their horses to the village stables. There were many things she'd had to adjust to since the battle against Calamity Ganon had been won, but probably one of the happiest adjustments she'd made was interacting with her last surviving Champion and bodyguard. When she first saw Link in the aftermath of the climatic showdown she could tell this was a different person then the one she'd last seen fighting tooth and nail to defend her. This Link was ten times happier and more jubilant which warmed her heart. There were a whole number of reasons for the change she was still picking over, but about a month ago she noticed a subtle change in Link's behavior, one that she'd slowly begun to deduce.

"What? You're staring at me; do I have something on my face?" Sounded his voice drawing her out of her thoughts.

"Oh, nothing, nothing you need to worry about. I just tend to notice whenever things start to…slow down you have this tendency to slip away and then reappear almost exactly when needed." Answered the monarch as they began walking through the village. Evening life had begun to set in with children and adults alike bustling from place to place. Again, Kakariko Village was still small, but it was growing at a decent pace. "Am I that unbearable to be around?"

"Wh-What? N-No, never! I take my job as your protector very seriously!" Sounded off the knight hoping he hadn't offended his friend's feelings. "I just…I'm…still having a little trouble putting down roots is all. I-I mean you never know when or where danger could come from so I take the pre-active role of scouting things out." Would that defense work against the astute and learned princess? He doubted it but it was the best Link could come up with.

Zelda seemed to think on his response for a moment or two with a hand pressed to her cheek. "True, but some would argue you'd better serve that purpose staying close to me at all times. Still, you always manage to pull through somehow so I'm willing to grant you some level of autonomy." The tone she spoke in was a queenly one, a mocking one. Link chuckled at it as did she before the two of them were laughing. This was yet another positive change they'd accepted whole-heartedly. In the past moments like this were practically a fantasy, but no more.

It was the second time she'd pried this deeply into his disappearances, Link counted himself lucky she didn't bring up who often disappeared with him. Knowing Zelda, she might be in the process of piecing it all together and when that time came Link didn't know if she'd congratulate him or chew him out for keeping things a secret. In his defense he'd always intended to tell her, but things always went sideways and he completely forgot about it until it was too late. That wasn't really his fault, was it?

Common sense had dedicated that Zelda's home would be right beside Link's. It was either that or have the two of them live together, that option had been hastily shot down by the both of them. Link could still remember that meeting as several looked between the two of them as if they'd just said they'd like a blend of salt rocks and weeds for dinner. He'd seen Impa's face as she silently deduced what the cause of their wanted separation was. For the rest of the week she said nothing choosing to leave them to their own devices. Both Link and Zelda were rather grateful for that choice.

Her home wasn't anything fancy as per her request. As far as she was concerned she was just another resident of the village and wanted to be treated as such, a sentiment Link carried too given his own history and reputation. All that separated her home from others was the seal of the Hyrule royal family carved on the front of her door. Equally so, Link's front door merely had a Hylian shield and sword running through it. The knight and his princess one could say, right next door to each other and should trouble knock on the door of one it'd be heard by the other.

"Link," Began the long-haired blond giving the warrior reason to pause in his tracks. "If something ever comes up or is bothering you, feel free to tell me. Though I…still bear the title of princess I'd like for you to think of me as a…a…friend. One you can talk to." A light blush played at her cheeks as she spoke the words she probably should have told him a hundred years ago. As they say, better late than never.

The Hylian felt as if an invisible weight had had last been lifted off of his shoulders. Ever since the start of his adventure across the wilds, as his memories slowly returned to him, all he could associate Zelda's face with was one of disappointment. There were a lot of things he thought she'd say to him when they'd finally defeated Ganon, yet not one word he'd predicted came through her lips. Instead, all he received was praise, thanks. Steadily, he realized his and Zelda's roles had changed from knight and lady, protector and protected to something a little more…casual. They were now friends.

"Zelda," Link started feeling a light blush creep onto his face. "Thank you, from the bottom of my heart…thank you for saying that. I want you to know that…I feel the same way, if you're ever in trouble or need of anything, I'll be here for you too."

In a move that would have been considered a breach of protocol back in the day, Zelda stepped forward and wrapped her arms around Link's neck. Link returned the embrace in a friendly manner, the likes of which he never would have done a hundred years ago. Pulling away, she bowed her head then disappeared behind the door to her home. Link stood there in a moment of suspended bliss. While he hadn't been able to save his fellow champions, he'd at least managed to save his charge, from both Calamity Ganon and her own royal curse.

 _Maybe you were right, Riju._ Thought the Hylian fondly turning the knob to his own home. Once he was inside, he took a second to inhale the sweet smell of his home. Basic and simple, that was what most homes in the village were like and his was no different in spite of his "exalted" status amongst them. Like many other villagers, a sweet aroma filled his house curtesy of an incense burner Riju had given him during one of their dates. The end result was his house gaining another special place amongst the homes of Kakariko Village. When asked about it, he merely played it off as a gift from one of his ventures into Gerudo Town; his lie had been effortlessly accepted by just about everyone save for maybe one person. He could never keep anything from Impa, and he was ready to quit trying. _Maybe it'd be alright if I let her know. I mean, she is the village elder and the closest thing I have to a mother-figure._

His boots and bags were put in their proper place while his sword found its place on his weapons rack. Admittedly he'd gained quite an array of weapons on his travels, so much so that Purah and her assistants to design specialized "containers" for him to keep them all. Though he was a self-admitted warrior, Link preferred to keep the containers situated near the back of his home, and the code to open them held nowhere but in his head. Goddesses forbid someone getting access to all the weapons he'd acquired over his journey, and woe to anyone who forced him to show he knew how to use every weapon stashed away.

Turning his mind away from war, he headed to his bedroom where he sat down atop his mattress. Pulling out his Sheikah Slat, he attempted to call Riju. He wasn't disappointed to find she didn't answer. There were a number of things she could have been doing at the moment, many of which required her attention more than he did. She was a queen after all, and unlike Zelda, her kingdom was still very much present and in need of ruling. That said, he knew the toll that it would take on her thus tried when he could to lighten the load. He froze staring at the blue screen as the full weight of was happening hit him.

He was in a relationship, with a royal. Link definitely remembered whispers amongst the palace royals and servants regarding how close he was to Mipha and Zelda, both of whom were princesses who would one day become queens themselves. Obviously, they'd been dead on regarding his relationship with the former. But then calamity struck and everything was thrown out of balance.

From the bottom of his heart, he would have been overjoyed to see Mipha become queen of the Zora. To see Zelda inherent the throne he would have been happy as he could have been given how…distant they were. As far back as then, he could sympathize with the pressure she was feeling and felt with her ascension hopefully some of it would be lightened. At least then she would have proven she was worthy enough to wear the crown.

Riju was very much in a similar boat, perhaps that's one of the things that had attracted him to her. She too carried the burden of ruling on her back, and he knew better than anyone whose image she had to live up to.

With a few swipes of his finger, the image displayed on his slat was one of the last group picture he, Zelda, and the champions had taken. The Gerudo champion who'd mothered them all stood out in bright contrast to the rest of them, who were struggling to process what had even happened. Except for Daruk, he was rather exuberant at the unexpected turn of events. She seemed so happy being there, surrounded by all of them. Link eventually came to realize Urbosa was a natural at commanding, leading, loving. It was no wonder she's still honored to this day as one of the greatest leaders the Gerudo ever had. And his girlfriend feels such an intense need to live up to her image. Sighing, he swept through the rest of the images stored up within his Sheikah Slat. Subconsciously, his attention was drawn to the desert photos. Such a harsh and unforgiving place it was, yet Urbosa and Riju loved it to death.

His feet rose and carried him back to the weapons containers. Passing his right hand over the seal, the metallic lid slid open revealing the prized scimitar and shield of the Gerudo Champion.

Link always felt like he was at a crossroad when staring at the weapons of his former comrades. Though each race had given their blessings, he still felt like he hadn't deserved such things. In the case of the scimitar and shield before him, there was a chance Riju would become able to wield them one day. When would that day come? Would it be in a time of peace or in a time of war?

He hoped from the bottom of his heart it was it was the former, and only for training purposes.

" _What? You don't believe my descendent would make for a capable warrior?"_

Tipping his lip upward, he almost looked over his shoulder, fully expecting to see to the proud redhead standing over him. If Urbosa had lived, he had little doubt she would have been the one training Riju, in matters of combat and politics. How grand a sight would that have been.

But then they never would have met one another as they did, and begun their relationship. He didn't think he'd ever get used to how winding a road fate could be.

"Would you oppose to me being the one to teach her how to fight?" Questioned the Hylian reaching and picking up the sword. Time had been kind to the gold and jewel decorated weapons. In his opinion, they deserved to be held in the hands of a proper Gerudo warrior. "I mean, I know I may not know all the tricks you knew, but I could teach her a thing or two, couldn't I? Urbosa?"

It wouldn't quite be the sort of date normal couples did, but Link liked to believe he and Riju weren't quite a normal couple in spite of their various attempts. Of course, that wasn't going to stop them from making the best of their relationship, and perhaps it would all work out in the long run. The Gerudo elders would have to give him points for helping train their future queen into a badass warrior queen, couldn't they?

* * *

 _ **Gerudo Town, late evening…**_

"I'm not sure which of those old crones I hate more."

"May I place a bet on Lady Sakina?"

Exhausted as she might have been, Riju was able to laugh at her bodyguard's jest. Having practically helped raise her, she knew while Buliara could be stone incarnate, she had her soft points, and what soft points they were. It was one of the reasons why at the end of the day, she could be counted as one of Riju's true friends.

That said, she still kept…certain secrets from her until she felt Buliara could be trusted not to overreact. At the moment, the highest one on the list was the fact she and the Hero of Hyrule were secretly dating.

And they'd snuck away from the delegation to go snowboarding using combat shields.

Risking their lives in a childish show of excitement that would have gotten them chewed out. Well, she would have received worse than that, but that was yet another reason to keep things a secret for a little while longer.

"If I may, Lady Riju, where exactly were you doing the break period of the meeting? Though I heeded your word of giving you your…space, I asked around and I was told you were nowhere to be found in town." To her credit, Riju kept her composure, an art she'd perfected and held pride in. Buliara's eyes, though focused ahead, momentarily drifted to hers', sharp as her sword and ready to pickup anything she deemed out of the ordinary.

"Curiosity got the better of me, sorry." Stopping dead in her tracks, she gave her loyal bodyguard an apologetic bow which earned her a deep-hearted sigh. That was far preferable to the epic rant she would have gotten had Riju told the truth. "I did a little exploring outside of the village and lost track of time."

"Sometimes I think the only way to properly look after you is tying myself to your hip." Groaned the female warrior.

"You sorta already do that." Giggled the younger girl giving her bodyguard a quick wink of the eye.

"Perhaps one of these days I'll drop by Hateno Village and request for Purah to bequeath me one of those Sheikah Slats." Sounded the older of the two with a shake of her head.

Riju laughed nervously, trying to picture how a meeting between her bodyguard and the de-aged Sheikah technician would go. She had only met Purah once, but Link's description of her, "eccentric" had been accurate to a T. There was little doubt in her mind that it'd be quite a scene to. "Let me take a wild guess, you'd want it custom-made and it to have some sort of tracking function installed so you can keep tabs on me at all times, right?"

"Truly, you are becoming quite astute milady." Returned Buliara.

"Except last I checked, you'd need to install some sort of…bug on me to do that." Playfully added the future queen.

"That can be easily done at a council meeting." Answered Buliara in a sing-song voice that stopped Riju's heartbeat. The little girl stared at her with slightly wide eyes. Internally, Buliara took a second to savior the moment; times like this were rare and to be cherished. "Should it be dimmed vital to your safety, I believe they would allow it."

"Then I'd just have to test out my powers as queen and get them to reconsider. I don't need to be followed _all_ the time." Fired back the young redhead. Just the thought of such a thing had her blood boiling a bit. "It's not like I've got anyone actively gunning for me, at least…not like Zelda."

The two Gerudo came to a stop to glance outside a nearby window to the setting sun, a look of deep empathy on her face. When Zelda came to Gerudo Town, she'd been welcomed with open arms, much to her immense shock. From what Link had told her regarding the blonde's guilt in failing to stop the Calamity Ganon a hundred years ago, Zelda had been expecting a less than formal greeting. What she got was the best royal welcoming they could muster headed by Riju herself. It was that day she told the female Hylian she hadn't been the only one carrying the stain of Ganon on them. That had been the starting point of a professional yet somewhat personal friendship between them.

That made the first few attempts on Zelda's life by the remnants of the Yiga Clan particularly hard to stomach. Riju preferred not to think about the clan of renegades, and when she did she tried to see them as little more than an annoyance at best. Though she still held a grudge against them for stealing the Thunder Helm, those feelings had been put to rest when Link returned with her family heirloom, and told her the Yiga's leader had been sent to an early grave. By his own foolish hand no less. That should have been the end of the Yiga, but it wasn't. Instead of disbanding, the group seemed to concentrate their hatred on her secret lover and had made it their new life mission to kill him. With the defeat of Calamity Ganon and freeing of Princess Zelda they had a new goal: kill her as well.

In the near year and a half since that fateful day Link had intercepted nearly ten attempts on Zelda's life. The Yiga, while greatly diminished in power and prestige, were still very much dedicated to carrying out their twisted goals. How long until they were stomped out no one knew, but all around Hyrule, there was a resounding wish for that time to come sooner rather than later if it could be helped.

Buliara certainly awaited that day, if only it would give Riju one less enemy out there and allow the Gerudo to sleep at ease, another portion of their honor restored.

"Milady, with all due respect, the world is still dangerous, and it is that danger we all wish to protect you from." Admitted the guardian, placing a hand on her young charge's shoulder. "Please, do not take such matters lightly."

Glancing upward, Riju gave her long time protector and friend a kind smile. "I never will, in spite of how many jokes about it I like to make. Buliara, I'm just…I guess I'm just trying to be optimistic in believing better days for the Gerudo, for Hyrule, are on the horizon. Do you think that's foolish of me?"

"Not at all, milady, for as queen, you must look tomorrow and make the best of it, that way you may guide us all." She positively responded.

Secured once more, Riju wondered how long she could afford to keep relying on others. While her mother had told her there was no shame in having friends and allies, at the end of the day, a ruler must be able to trust in themselves to make the right decision. She wished so dearly she could have the confidence of her parents and dear aunt.

Buliara protectively planted her sword in the ground as they came to their stop. Riju gave her protector one quick smile of approval before she slipped behind the door then softly closed it shut. Silently, she kicked off her shoes and made way for her stone couch, her face hitting the soft pillows first followed by the rest of her body.

"Talk about one hell of day." From entering the frozen mountains far beyond her realm to a snowboarding match that almost went wrong, to a hours' long conversation with the council of elders, Riju felt well and truly drained of all her energy. She was thankful the day was over as she felt she didn't have much strength left in her. It was her hope the rest of the evening would be hers' and hers' alone. At least then she would have been able to sneak in one last talk with her Hylian lover.

Speaking of said lover, Riju felt the urge to checkup on him. Buliara's questioning of her whereabouts reminded her that Link might have had to endure a similar matter regarding Zelda. Though the blonde princess didn't have as large a protection ring as she did, Link was still expected to be within shouting distance of her at all times. Given that he was secretly seeing someone else that was rather difficult to do, and should word ever get out, it would cause one hell of a scandal. Sitting upright, Riju's face went dark as she automatically began to wonder how the news would play out across the land. It'd be like something of a drama written to entertain nobles and royals. Or worse, it'd sound like one of those crappy novels commonly sold in the market, the kind that she'd caught even Buliara reading from time to time.

Swinging her legs over the edge, she took out her Sheikah Slat and booted it up. A thin smile formed on her face as she found she had one missed call, and from just the man of her dreams. The call was dated almost an hour ago meaning she'd been at the meeting when it happened. Sadly, such a thing was rather common since they started dating in secret, but it made the times they were able to communicate all the sweeter.

"Hey there, handsome." She giggled upon seeing his face come up on the screen. A thin layer of sweat had formed meaning he was more than likely in the middle of training or finished training.

"So, how as it?"

"I wanted to hop on my sand seal and ride as far into the desert as I possibly could." Was her dry response.

"Would you believe me if I told you Zelda envies you? At least you have semi-royal officials to consort with." Chuckled the blond hero while his girlfriend huffed in annoyance.

"She doesn't know how good she has it, make sure to tell her that." Following a quick roll of her eyes, the Gerudo fell back into her arrangement of pillows, feeling rejuvenated from their short exchange. "Have you ever thought about coming down here to teach a class on fighting? Or how to talk to voe? I'm sure you'd have a packed classroom every day of your stay."

"Heh, that depends, would you be able to stand seeing me interact with a long list of girls hour after hour?"

Returning his smirk with one of her own, Riju held up her right hand. In between her fingers jumped arcs of green-colored lightning.

"Does that answer your question?"

A towel was wiped over his sweaty face. The screen turned to a darkening sky with the sounds of footsteps echoing in the background. Riju's blonde lover came back into focus, his face cleaner and with the towel thrown over his neck. What she wouldn't have given for a full-body view of him. "I can try vouching the idea to Zelda."

"Would she suspect anything?" Questioned the Gerudo.

"I think I'm the one who should be asking that of your side of things." Casually replied the Hylian. "There'd be a lot of risk to it." Link waited a full second watching Riju's face darken. "But it'd be worth a shot, one I'm willing to take."

Immediately, the future ruler's expression brightened. Picking up the slate, she hurried over to the window where she placed it down thus giving Link a view of the sunset from her home. "That's good, because I've been meaning to share these with you in person. There are quite a sight you know." Stretching out before them lay the vast expanse of the Gerudo Desert, slowly being dyed in the colors a warm flame while the sky grew a shade darker by the second. The stars were beginning to come out, one by one filling up the darkening sky. "I'll try to see if I can convince the council to make an exception for you in regards to the clothes rule."

"I'd appreciate it." He chuckled enjoying the view. "Don't get me wrong, I like sneaking in, but I'd like to be able to go through the front gate and not have to have Zelda be with me to do it in ordinary clothes."

"Here I was beginning to like seeing you in a dress."

"You know, you've seen me dress in Gerudo clothes, but I don't think I've ever seen you do the same in Hylian clothes."

"Does today not count?"

"I'm talking clothes you'll actually enjoy wearing." Link proclaimed laughing.

"Oh, you're willing to go clothes shopping with me? Great! I've been meaning to update my wardrobe for a while now!" Riju exclaimed. She didn't need to look at the screen to see Link groaning in despair, matter of fact, she could hear it. Oh, how she longed to have him physically at her side. "Link, about what happened earlier, do you think one day I'll be as good as my aunt? I mean, with the Thunder Helm, I'm pretty good, but I wanna be able to stand on my own."

"You will, I know it." Affirmed the swordsman. "If you want, we can practice together."

"Sounds like a date to me." Grinned the Gerudo.

"It does, doesn't it?"

* * *

 **So there it is, the first chapter of my first full-length Legend of Zelda story. Let me know what you all thought of it. I won't lie, this story is going to be straight Link/Riju, but there will be some friendships and interactions with other characters. If you're interested in how their relationship will turn out, then tune in for the next chapter. Until then!**


	2. Chapter 2-Knock, Knock

**Well, here we go onto the second chapter. Before we begin, I'd like to thank everyone who gave this story a try, it means a lot.**

 **I do not own anything.**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 2-Knock, Knock**_

"So much for a weather-born delay," huffed the Hero of Hyrule causing some of the villagers beside him to chuckle in amusement as he stepped out to gaze upward to the clear sky.

Perhaps he was just trying to lighten the mood, or stave off the inevitability that history might have been repeating where it left off. His memories of palace life were…still somewhat distant, but he could remember security being stepped up somewhat whenever foreign dignitaries came to visit; like everyone else he was told to be on his best behavior and always be ready to act if anything went wrong. As with everything, he'd taken his job seriously knowing it could mean the difference between life and death as well as dishonor on not just him but his entire family. Now things had…changed somewhat, for starters, one could argue the danger was far greater.

There was no big fancy castle, there were no diplomats or such to salvage things if the meeting went south. There was no royal guard to be there if force was required.

Instead, there was only him, a lone Hylian with his skill set and an arsenal of weapons from across Hyrule and some magic. Link could almost picture the royal court screaming their heads off at the situation.

Oh, and rather than in an elaborated dinning room or throne room the meeting would be held in a straw hut. Instead of a five-star banquet they'd be served…home-cooked village food. Personally, Link preferred the latter over the form for a number of reasons.

Kakariko Village had gone through a very noticeable change over the last three days. All of the children were told to be on their absolute best behavior while all the adults went about cleaning and decorating the village as if a festival were underway. In a manner of speaking, it was; one could have argued that by having its first foreign dignitaries over Hyrule was taking its first steps to recovering some of its former glory. Of course, no one wanted to be the fool responsible for mucking up such an important event. For that reason, one could have argued a mask had fallen over the village; it wasn't particularly a bad thing, but it was something of a change from the mostly carefree life those of Kakariko Village had known for the last few years. Truthfully speaking, as he went from place to place ensuring everything was in place, he even found a few villagers that were grateful for the excitement. To be quite honest, Link wasn't sure which camp he was in.

And someone definitely noticed.

"You know, if the delegation arrives and you have such a dreary look on your face, I fear they won't be taking us seriously. What say you, Zelda?"

Admittedly, he looked rather ridiculous standing there in the middle of the road staring at the late-morning horizon with a look of complete apathy on his face. Naturally, she merely smiled at him in the same way she did with Paya and Zelda. It had become an unspoken fact that she'd accepted him and Zelda as her second and third grandchildren; neither he nor Zelda quite knew how to thank her for such care, but they tried to show their loyalty every now and then. It helped that for all intents and purposes, she was the closest thing they had to a court advisory, diplomat, and dare he even say it, a leader in her own right. Without her, Link knew they wouldn't have made half as much in helping Hyrule recover as they'd done now.

As proof of what progress they had made, and a sign of the times, the beings guarding the great house weren't Sheikah, they were machines. When he woke up Link had come to both fear and despise Guardians and their robotic offshoots with a burning passion, hell, his hair still stood on end whenever he saw one aim its optics at him. His instincts told him to move forcing his brain to hit the breaks hard least he make a fool of himself. If he got lucky then he'd be the one watching others make fools of themselves. He could so vividly picture it, their diplomatic guests arriving in Kakariko Village only to stop in frozen fear as they found themselves the receiving end of the glowing glare of a Guardian Scout.

Improvements had been to the four-feet machines, namely in their OS and some of their armaments. Given that a single shot was strong enough to blow a human being wide open, and sometimes more, the power of their eye lasers had been cut back practically to the point where they were more stunners than anything. Speaking of stun, their four tri-clawed legs had been made into "tethering cables" capable of stretching a good fifteen feet or so and delivering an electric shock to whatever they caught. Non-lethal, but still very dangerous and not something to mess with. Purah had insisted on such over Zelda's objections; Impa had to step in to remind her that in the game they were playing shows of strength were sometimes what separated survival from death. At the time, Link could understand Paya's silence on the matter, she'd ran expeditions that had contributed to the Guardians being reprogrammed yet worry was practically a bee that wouldn't stop buzzing around her.

Expectedly, she and Zelda were already inside, and in a single glance he could tell they were just as nervous as he was, maybe a little more so. "So we're handing out gifts already, huh?" He mused pointing to the tray of Sheikah Slats that Paya was currently looking over. Stepping up close, he could see these two were part of the "prototype" series Purah and her crew had been able to create. Their design was a tad bit…bulkier than the one he was carrying, being more rectangular and lacking any definitive grooves or designs, not to mention the coloring was more of a slate-gray than anything.

"It was my idea," Zelda spoke up just as she noticed Paya becoming a tad bit flustered at having to explain what was going on. She wasn't dressed all that differently from her usual blue outfit, which she'd insisted on in spite of Impa and a few others telling her to find a dress or something. Technically speaking, she was queen of Hyrule, though at the moment Hyrule wasn't exactly much. "If we're going to be making alliances and building good relationships, then we need to start with some shows of good faith. This," She beckoned to the Sheikah Slats. "Was the best we could come up with, not to mention there's a high chance Sheikah technology is what neighboring kingdoms will be requesting."

That much he knew, and that's what he feared. "And we're just…giving them a taste, right?"

"Exactly, besides, these slats are programmed to self-destruct should they be used against us."

"Grandmother!" Shouted Impa.

"What?!"

Link was thinking Impa got off of being able to shock them all with her sudden info drops that came completely out of left field. She certainly had a talent for them. Of all of them, she was without a doubt the calmest, which one could chalk up to her wisdom acquired through time, time spent in peace and trouble. "Link, there is no use in fooling ourselves into believing that those answering our call for help will do so out of the goodness of their hearts. We have something others covet, so we will play to their whims, to a certain extent."

"Spoken like a true politician." Grinned the male Hylian causing the two females to look to him with scandalized frowns.

Far from being insulted, Impa took his words as a compliment. A low chuckle left her leaps as she made way for her reserved spot; with the meeting coming up a beautifully carved wooden table had been set up for which she would seat at the head of. Though Zelda was leader, Kakariko Village was still considered her domain thus the decision had been all but sealed. "Well, we're at a time now where we need a politician just as much as we need soldiers." Her old gaze flickered first between Link and Zelda, then she turned to her granddaughter causing her to jump. "Don't look at me like that, you'll be presenting the Sheikah Slats to our guests as well as explaining their functions to them."

"M-M-M-Me?!" Shrieked the younger Sheikah looking ready to kill over. Link's presence was easily explainable, but Paya felt like hers was unwanted and unneeded. She wasn't a royal or anything of the sort. "B-B-But, g-g-grandmother, y-you can explain i-it b-better than I can! I-I mean you c-c-can tell them all the ins and outs of the-"

"Paya, I'm old." Impa quietly cut off. Not just the white-haired girl, but the two blondes as well, all went silent as they took a moment to stop and truly look to their senior. "I've lived for well over a hundred years, through the terror that was Calamity Ganon, and I have lived to see its defeat. I'd say that's an achievement, wouldn't all of you."

"I-Impa, y-you're sounding like a woman on her deathbed. Please, today's not the day for that." Zelda was already worried enough, if Impa kept on her current line of thought she feared she'd lose her nerve.

Sitting down in her seat, the old Sheik shook her head. Standing before her, they all seemed less like young adults and more children, children still needing their hands held. It was cut, but the time for such things had to end eventually. "For all I know, I may very well be. I won't be around forever, but you three; Link, Zelda, Paya, all of you are young and in the throes of your youth. Link, though you've succeeded in freeing Hyrule from Ganon's reign of terror and avenging your fellow Champions there is still much work for you to do. Zelda needs a protector, and someone to be there for her when times grow heavy. As you yourself, Zelda, though you have no crown to wear, you are the leader of this nation. You must begin to act like it. Paya, my dear granddaughter, a time will come when you have to seat in this seat, and when you do, I cannot promise you things will be easy, but I have faith that you will succeed. Matter of fact, I have faith in all of you. Are you going to prove me wrong?"

Naturally, the three teens were stunned. Standing there with shaken faces the scene would have been considered somewhat funny if the subject matter wasn't so serious. They all knew Impa had faith in them to fulfill their respective duties, but to hear her say it so openly was like having a spell of rejuvenation cast over them. But with the rejuvenation came fear of injury, namely in proving Impa's faith had been misplaced. That fear lingered in their minds and kept them awake at night, but on other days it was that fear that pushed them forward.

Internally chuckling, Link realized today was going to be one of the latter instead of the former. "I don't, I won't let you down." Smirking, he turned to the two ladies to his left and grinned at them. "And I don't plan on letting them let you down either!"

A jubilant laugh escaped the old leader's lips watching her granddaughter and surrogate granddaughter blush hot pink at the warrior's words. If there was any doubt that the goddess had abandoned them then it was wiped away in seeing Link in that moment. Equally so, if anyone ever thought he hadn't changed or moved on from his past than the faces of the two females served as proof of opposition. Impa thought back fondly to the days when they were lucky if they could get so much as a single sentence out of Link, and have it spoken above a whisper at that. Now here he was captivating young ladies, including his granddaughter.

She honestly couldn't help but wonder when the time would come when Link would find himself a woman. Goddesses knew he still loved and grieved for Mipha, but eventually he was going to have to move on.

A knock at the door came causing four heads to turn. Dorian poked his head through, his face grave yet determined none the less. "The Cornualian delegation is here."

Impa looked to Zelda, who immediately straightened up hearing the news. "It's time to make your father and ancestors proud, Queen Zelda."

"Yes," She sighed suddenly looking ten years old. Briefly, she turned to Link with a smile he returned. Second, she looked back to Paya, who stood startled before smiling as well. "It is indeed, Dorian, please escort them in."

With a quick bow, the former Yiga clanman shut the door thus leaving them alone, temporarily at least. Paya took the tray of prototype Sheikah Slats into a side room where she'd wait until called forth by either Zelda or Impa. Link himself stood guard beside the royal with the Master Sword slung across his back and ready to be drawn at the slightest hint of danger. Collectively, he and his charge sucked in a breath that would be the final one before they laid it all on the line.

Almost a minute later and the doors opened, and through them came a new set of faces Link had never seen before. First was the sound of boots, heavy boots, thudding against the wooden flower like drumbeats. First coming into his line of sight were four heavily-armored knights, not quite unlike those he knew during his time, except their armor was different. In the light of the fires, their steel silver and blood-red armor glistened giving them an awe-inspiring yet slightly ominous appearance. Undoubtedly standing out were the crystals welded into the armor of the soldiers, all bright red like blood. Link silently observed them, analyzing every detail of their weaponry out of refined instinct. One circular crystal lay implanted in the shoulder guards of each knight with a larger crystal in the center. If Link had to venture a guess, they served as power sources granting the knights an extra layer of protection, and possibly a much harder punch or kick when the time for battle came. Held in their arms were spears whose base were adorned with a glistening red gemstone. A similar gemstone shined at the hilt of their swords, which were slung at their hips.

Link almost felt a bit nostalgic seeing a full-blown honor guard, the likes of which he was raised to one day be a part of.

Now, the actual royals they were guarding, they were somewhat what Link was expecting.

After almost a week of hearing about him Link was finally face-to-face with Zaltan Kasun, heir apparent to the kingdom of Cornulia. Though he preferred not to judge his fellow men, Link had to admit the stories of the prince being good-looking had _some_ basis to them upon seeing him in the flesh. A good six feet verging on six one, he cut an impressive figure beneath his red and gold-colored robes. His dark brown hair stood out in sharp contrast to Link's, it also reached to the base of his neck required it to be tied into a ponytail, a well-groomed short ponytail not quite unlike Link's own. Furthering the contrast between the two of them were their eyes; unlike Link's bright blue orbs his aligned with the color of his name-gold. He'd heard one or two whispers that the royal family of Cornulia were born with eyes said to match their personalities or foreshadow their destinies. Those born with eyes of gold were said to be destined to become rulers or conquerors.

To the right of Zaltan stood a female perhaps a year or two his junior. Their facial features were near identical yet her hair was much longer and braided in a way he remembered Zelda once wearing. He had to admit, the masculine looks her brother possessed was complimented by the feminine beauty of his sister, whose body was full figure in the sort of way that would have drawn eyes from men as she passed them by. Around her neck hung a decorated necklace in the shape of a bird spreading its ways. Almost immediately, her head ducked in a bow of respect similar to Zelda. Also, like the Hylian queen, she gave off an air of warmth and affection in contrast to her brother's regal presence and the mystic flair of the third member of the trio.

Right off the bat he could tell the man was a sorcerer of some kind. Back in the old days he hadn't been around many magic-users, but those he had interacted with left quite an impression on him. As part of his trainer he was also trained to recognize sorcerers and such when he saw them. Standing at an average height of five-foot nine, the final member of the delegation glanced at them all with dark blue eyes swelling with calculative intelligence. Around his shoulders hung a flowing robe with woven designs he knew only magic-users would prefer. Slung over his right shoulder was a dark brown sash decorated with golden engravings with the center piece being the glittering medallion held close to the top. Shining at the center was an azure-colored jewel whose magical energy Link could sense from just a few feet away. He made the mistake of tearing his eyes away from the piece of jewelry to look the bald-headed man in the eye. What he got was a sharp glare that told him every analysis he'd made; the sorcerer had also done regarding him and his compatriots.

Link knew without a doubt this man was going to be trouble if angered, or if he saw an opening to exploit.

 _Heh, look at me, I've gone from slaying monsters and treasure-hunting to this._ Mused the blonde-haired swordsman while Zelda introduced herself and him and Impa. Cautiously, he watched the reactions of their visitors behind a well-meaning smile. The sorcerer saw through it quite easily and returned his false smile with one of his own. _Sword and sorcery, classic enemies at it again._

Once the Hylians had finished introducing themselves Zaltan laughed stating it was now their turn. "These fine gentlemen surrounding us is my, or shall I say our, honor guard. As for this lovely woman here, my sister, Igerna, one of the finest maidens in all of the Kingdom of Cornulia."

"Please to meet you all," She bowed. "Especially you, Sir Link, the last of the Champions of Hyrule and savior of the land."

Impa chuckled. "And so the ego stroking truly begins."

A small round of giggles broke out while Link merely looked away with a light blush tugging at his cheeks. If was only natural that Impa would sneak a crack in somewhere, and of course it had to be leveled at him.

The bald-bearded man coughed catching the room's attention. Rather than wait for his lord to introduce him he appeared ready and willing to do it himself. "Greetings, my name is Simon, chief magician of the Cornulian royal court. While I am honored to make the acquaintance of the hero and queen of Hyrule, Lady Impa, I am truly blessed to meet you face-to-face, after all these years."

Following that statement all eyes immediately went to the elderly woman. Impa didn't shrink under the combined gaze of so many, not even the armored knights who seemed passingly interested in the conversation. Her old eyes glanced upward to meet the dark blue of Simon's. Almost everyone could feel the hair on their necks, even through armor and clothing, begin to stand on in as they felt an invisible storm brewing. Impa's face remained impassive as she sized up the mysterious sorcerer.

"…It seems you've grown an inch or two, and I'm terribly sorry to see you lost that chocolate-covered mane you are so proud of. The ladies of Cornulia must have created a flash flood with all the tears they shed." Finally spoke the village head followed by a hearty chuckle.

To the amazement of those assembled, the sorcerer laughed as well while rubbing his shiny-topped head. "That is quite true, alas, duty and the mystic arts called for me to sacrifice a few things. I'll have you know I still have one or two admirers back home, much like your young champion does."

His attention caught, Link dived right into the conversation. "Admirers? I have admirers in your country?"

Princess Igerna giggled while her brother broke out into a heaty laugh as did the sorcerer. In stark contrast, more than a few of the knights grunted in annoyance or disinterest.

"You see, your reputation had spread rather far and wide, Sir Link." Zaltan affirmed. "As I previously said, you are the last of Hyrule's original five champions, not to mention the one who succeeded were the rest failed. You've gained quite a bit of fame and even tinge of infamy with your deeds."

While his ego felt stroked, Link felt a ping of guilt realizing stories had already spread about him, somewhat less flattering stories. "I just…picked up where my comrades left off at. That's all there is to you, nothing else." He was well aware how distant and quiet his voice had become. At his side, Zelda and Impa looked to each other then to him uncomfortably. It was evident they were more worried about him personally than any potential bad impressions he might have left on their guests. Speaking of said guests, they too looked to one another then back to him realizing they'd steered the conversation to a somewhat uncomfortable area. He honestly couldn't tell what the knights were thinking behind their armored facades.

"Ah-hem, onto lighter topics." Impa declared before gesturing to the table. "You all have traveled quite a long way and must be feeling a wee bit hungry. As our guests, allow us to treat you to a full course meal." At the snap of her fingers the doors around them opened allowing for the sweet scent of freshly cooked food to rush into the main room.

Sadly, Link hadn't been able to contribution much to the welcome feast, a fact that didn't escape Zaltan who lightly poked him about it as they all took their seats. Impa simply told them as chief of security and bodyguard for the queen, Link would have to endure a prolonged separation from the kitchen, much to unified sadness of Zelda, Paya, and a whole slew of other people. Twice he asked the knights standing guard around them if they wanted to eat only for Simon to politely shoot him down stating they'd already eaten before they left, or the knights were _supposed_ to have eaten. His words drew some dry chuckling and grunts from the armored men; Link could sympathize with them as he remembered being given similar "orders" or rather advice one hundred years ago during his trainee days.

That wasn't to say the food they were being served wasn't good, far from it actually. Trissa and the others had been made aware of their foreign guests coming and had given over the best of their harvest, as well as literally combed through their family records to find the best recipes they could. The fruits of their labor were good as praise flew from the delegation into the ears of the Kakariko Village natives over lunch. Plat after plat vanished as time flew by only to be replaced by another until at last it seemed all partners were full.

"Hylian, or shall I say, Sheikah cuisine, it certainly lives up to the hype as you promised, Simon." Zaltan admitted placing his knife and fork down then reaching for a napkin. "Queen Zelda, Lady Impa, from the bottom of her hearts, thank you for the meal."

"It is merely us repaying the kindness you have shown us." Zelda spoke in a gentle tone. "Prince Zaltan, your nation is the first we've reached out to and accepted our request for an audience. That is a kindness we are deeply grateful for."

He took a single seep of his tea before fixing the female blonde with a sharp glance. In that look, Link knew for certain that time for pleasantries had passed. It was now officially time they all got down to business. "As I'm sure you know, or at least remember, diplomacy is a game with high-stakes. One must know when to show kindness and ruthlessness…as well as humility. As I'm sure you're aware, Queen Zelda, our kingdoms are in rather similar positions."

"Huh?"

In retrospect, he should have kept his mouth shut. Scratch that, he should have stuffed his face so full of food he couldn't be heard. The Cornulian delegation looked to him with somewhat startled eyes while Impa slightly shook her head in disappointment. Internally, he cursed realizing whatever points he'd scored with his previous determination might have just be revoked.

For better or for worse, his confused response set off a bit of a reaction with their visitors. All of them looked to one another and began speaking in hushed voices in blatant view of the Hylians. From what Link could pick up Simon seemed to arguing with Zaltan, eager to get his point known. It didn't work as the prince raised up a head causing the magician to go silent and lower his head in acceptance. When he looked back to Link and Zelda, they could see a gleam of…anxiety in his eyes. Link felt an uncomfortable rumble in his gut.

"Sir Link, given the…repairs that has had to be done to your nation, I don't blame you for not knowing. Matter of fact, if my contacts are to be believed, Queen Zelda, the general public knows little of the civil war, don't they?"

While Link's eyebrow raised at hearing the word "contacts" Zelda bowed her head in respect. "Yes, and what talk is spoken off is kept mostly to taverns and the like. Besides a few mummers and rumors I would like to discuss with you, nothing concrete is known." First, she looked to her protector and the village elder. Link nodded his head somewhat uneasily while Impa gave her full blessings. With that confirmation she turned back to Zaltan, who breathed outward through his nose.

"Just as Hyrule was ravaged by the Calamity Ganon, our fair Kingdom of Cornulia had to deal with its own threats, namely a civil war." Zaltan began. By no coincidence did his eyes find Link, who immediately tensed up meeting the gold of his now focused orbs. "Going on eleven years ago, the sister of my brother, Princess Ulyana, attempted a coup against my father, the crown king. It was a rather bloody affair that ended up decimating the kingdom leaving almost two percent of the population dead. While in the time since we've managed to claw our way back, I'm afraid not all the embers of the rebellion were extinguished. While securing Hyrule, I believe you must have come across some…dangerous unknowns how shall we say?"

There was no denying that a sudden change had occurred in the Hero of the Wilds. His eyes had gone hard as had the rest of his face. Sitting upright with both his arms crossed, he seemed less a young man and more the fierce warrior that rumors had made him out to be. This didn't go unnoticed by the knights, who shuffled nervously upon seeing the male Hylian serious for the first time. "Almost a month ago, Prince Sidon of the Zoras was forced to send word to me for…trespassers in Zora Domain. Equally so, the Gorons have informed me of some on and off-again thefts of their mine deposits and even some of their mining equipment. I've tracked a few leads down and what I've found were smugglers who I either cut down or attempted to take alive, with few successes."

"You've handled the country's security all by yourself?" Noted Igerna who looked to him with an air of awe. "Sir Link, with all due respect, you are but one man and you've been…protecting the nation all by yourself?"

Seeing the bewildered gaze of the foreign princess caused Link's posture to soften if only by a little. "Princess Igerna, I am all Hyrule has in the way of a fighting force. Besides, with the defeat of Calamity Ganon things haven't been quite as bad as they used to." He finished with a soft smile that caused her to look away with a slight blush.

"Be that as it may, you are merely one man, and one can only stand against the sea so long before they're washed away." Stated Simon looking to the adventurer with slightly colder eyes. "Moving on, as Prince Zaltan stated, rebels persisted even after Lady Ulyana was defeated and imprisoned. They've scattered to the winds, finding their way to foreign lands such as Hyrule. We fear they hope to regroup then one day break her out of prison to resume their rebellion against the government."

"They're after Sheikah technology, aren't they?" Before, Link's voice had merely been hard, now it was cold as ice. His words acted as a cryo-bomb that brought the temperature in the room downward to near sub-zero levels. To the side, Impa and Zelda looked to one another with concerned glances, before Link the Cornulians shuffled rather uncomfortably showing he'd hit the nail dead on the head.

"S-Sir Link," Began Igerna slightly put off by the sharpness in his glare and coldness in his words. "As the ancient Sheik of your land harnessed the power of magic and fused it with machinery, our Cornulian ancestors find and processed the power of magical stones, jewels and gemstones filled with magical power in solid form."

"As, I remember reading about it in the royal library." Spoke the swordsman glancing at the knights. More than a few chose to glance back at him. "I take it the civil war took a tool on the magical mining industry since both you and Ulyana's forces fought to control the magical stones?"

"Quite so, unfortunately." Sighed Zaltan rubbing his head as if feeling a headache coming on. "Craters the size of small lakes and large doting the landscape and once mighty establishments being either blown to pieces, frozen, or overrun by magically-enhanced greenery. Quite honestly, it was quite a mess that our father had to cleanup."

"If I remember correctly from the last report, Cornulia's magical stone supply is recovering, albeit slower than some would like." Impa inquired directing her attention to Simon.

"There are some who feel…we're being overly cautious in focusing on civil reconstruct over securing our nation's most valuable asset." He admitted. "Make no doubt, following the war's immediate aftermath we had a few skirmishes with neighboring kingdoms seeking to take advantage of our weakness, but we remained strong and endured. We believe we can help Hyrule do the same, a venture that will be of mutual benefit."

Link hadn't lost the edge in his voice. "How so?"

Zaltan regarding him with a neutral expression before he too snapped his fingers. From by the doorway stood up two knights, a wooden crate held between their arms. Said crat was dropped onto the cleaned dinner table and opened revealing its contents to the Hyrule natives. Zelda's mouth outright dropped while Impa's face deepened in thought. Link, who'd seen his fair share of odd and fascinating sights, pressed his lips refusing to yield any emotion in front of the foreign royals.

Unlike the jewels planted in the armor of the knights, the myriad of gemstones within the chest were of all shapes and sizes from squares to triangles to rectangles. In the light of the fire they glimmered revealing their inner glow, ethereal energy visible to the human eye. With the proper training, said power could be drawn out and cast as magic. In the hands of a trained sorcerer though, they could become weapons of mass destruction. Not missing a beat, Link reached forward and plucked one jewel from the set and held it up to his eyes. Green as an emerald, and within he saw swirling tendrils of energy-wind. Just through the tips of his fingers he could feel the power coursing through the gemstone, then felt it flow into him. By instinct, he returned the flow causing the jewel to glow with an even brighter radiance.

"It seems you are more than just a mere fighter like I suspected." Simon noted watching as a miniature whirlwind formed around Link's hands. "The jewel reacts stronger to those possessing a wind affinity, according to legends, heroes of Hyrule's distant past were said to command power over the wind. It seems their power has been possessed onto a worthy heir."

Flicking his wrist, Link held the jewel in his hands causing the whirlwind to grow. The air of all those present was ruffled and the fires swayed and swirled as if Link were personally fanning them. His azure eyes scanned the three Cornulians. "I can understand why you're worried, this is the kind of power people would kill for, and I'm guessing they already have. Combine it with the power of Sheik technology and you've got yourself a nice little deterrent."

His words came down with the weight of a sledgehammer.

Zelda knew then and there she had to cut in, and probably made a mental note to reprimand him after all of this was over. "P-P-Prince Zaltan, a-a-as we've discussed in our letters and messages, w-we're still working on unraveling the mysteries and workings of the Sheik's lost technology."

"Which is exactly why I came here today to propose not just an alliance, but a partnership between our kingdoms so that may be done." Spoke the gold-eyed male with determination. "Queen Zelda,"

"Make no mistake, other nations are very aware Hyrule is a mere shadow of what it once was, but it still has its…fangs how shall we say." Igerna politely finished. It was clear she was being mindful of how she phrased her words as all politicians must. For one reason or another, he gaze kept flickering to Link, who wasn't quite sure what to make of him. "Your Sheik technology, much like our magical stones, are coveted by many, both good and evil. Sir Link, you've had to stop a few attempted thefts made at said technology, haven't you?" When he gave her a curt nod, she continued. "It is only a matter of time before one of them makes a move for the Sheik technology, the same technology that Ganon once used to bring Hyrule to its knees."

"In order to prevent that from happening," Simon added. "We are willing to offer out nation's expertise in rediscovering your country's lost past." The sorcerer and old clan head's eyes met one another in a gaze filled with tension. "Sometimes, the past may hold the key to opening the door to the future, right, Impa?"

A heavy silence fell upon the table and all those who sat at it. It went without saying that quite a lot had been laid out on the table and it was going to take a while to sink in. Behind Impa the fire cackled serving as the only source of sound in the room. In the shadows hidden from view, stood Paya, who'd also heard everything. Link could only imagine what was running through her mind after having such a vast amount of information dumped upon her. Needlessly to say, all the planning they'd done had just gone out the window.

Well aware the mood had taken an unexpected turn, Zaltan coughed into his fist catching everyone's attention. "Queen Zelda, none of this is set in stone. It is merely an offering that can be shelved in favor of something better should either party be able to come up with something better. I want you to know, I am in no way attempting to twist your arm into forming an alliance with us. This offer is merely being made out of kindness and respect for not just as you are, but for the previous relationship between our kingdoms."

"We're fully aware of that and thank you for your generosity," Zelda began before biting her lip. "It's just…this is a rather big offering, one I feel I must discuss with not just the Sheik, but with representatives from across Hyrule as well."

Zaltan's lips ticked upward. "I was actually hoping you would say something like that as besides the Sheik, there is another tribe I would like to interact with."

"Who?" She questioned.

"The Gerudo." He answered with a brimming smile. Reaching out, he took hold of one of the gemstones from the chest. Unlike Link, the topaz-colored gem didn't glow with any sort of supernatural light though its glitter remained the same. "See, I've heard tale of their jewel-crafting ability, not to mention they're quite the business partner. Oh, and I hear they have quite a lady sitting upon the throne of chieftain, yes?"

At the very least this time Link was able to keep his emotions under control, mostly. Unknown to almost anyone at the table his nostrils flared. Beside him, Zelda giggled while Impa merely smiled.

"Riju, yes, she is the niece of Queen Urbosa, the previous Gerudo Champion." Affirmed the blonde. "Without her, I believe Hyrule wouldn't have much an economy at the moment."

"Not to mention, she has been meaning to open up Gerudo Town to males so the Gerudo can learn more on interactions with the opposite sex." Came the voice of Kakariko Village's chief elder. "Among the races of Hyrule, besides us Sheik, their crafting ability is just the type would be required for a project of this magnitude. Wouldn't you agree, Link?"

Through an air-tight mask and forced smile, he nodded. "Y-Y-Yeah, t-t-though w-w-we'd have to get past the whole no-voe-I mean males allowed rule."

"Now seems like a good time for shaking up old traditions, besides." Impa shrugged. "Besides, some of those women could use real-life practice in interacting with men instead of learning it in some shoddy classroom."

"If that be it the guess, could I possible go to Gerudo Village myself?" Requested Zaltan with eyes sparkling with excitement. "I've long heard stories of the desert dwellers and I would like to see them for myself."

"Only with protection." Snorted Simon. "The gods only know what type of dangers may be lurking around that forsaken place."

"It's not forsaken since people choose to live there," Cut in Link looking at the magic-user with a somewhat harsh glare. "If people choose to-"

Whatever Link was about to say was cut off as his ears picked up the pounding of footsteps outside, coming up the steps until the double doors quite literally flew open. The seated Cornulian knights reacted immediately, forming a defensive wall in front of the table at which they sat while the others began to draw their weapons and even pointed them at the intruders.

"L-LADY IMPA!"

Taking immediate note of the frantic look on Cado's face Impa's voice rose. "Hold your weapons, that man is one of ours!"

Barely a heartbeat later and Cado was joined by Dorian, whose face was equally as grave. "L-Lady Impa, L-Lady Zelda, L-Lord Link,"

"What is it? What's happened?" Zelda could feel it in her bones, something had happened, something bad.

"I-It's Gerudo Town," Spoke Cado.

Link's eyes widened and his pupils dilated. "What?" Jumping to his face he stood tall and imposing, his voice now no more than ice slowly creeping across the land freezing it and everything along its path. "Gerudo Town's been what?! What happened?!"

* * *

 _ **Gerudo Town, Noon…**_

"Please, tell me I'm done so I can go sand-surfing."

Buliara mixed in a sigh of relief with one of pity as she took the stack of papers from her young charge. Riju slumped back into her chair with a look of visible exhaustion on her face. "Sadly, I can't promise the sand-surfing, but I do believe you deserve a bit of a break for the moment. How does that sound?"

"Good enough." Spoke the young redhead stretching her arms upward then yawning. "I think I'll head down to the plaza and get something to drink."

Buliara's face remained neutral as she watched Riju jump to her feet and begin making way for the door of her office. "Milady, you can have a drink here." There was no real push in her words showing she already knew where the conversation was heading, and how it would end.

"Yes, but I want to get some sunlight while I can. Besides, never hurts to step out for a moment or two, does it?" An atypical response, one that caused Buliara to smile, which in turn caused Riju to giggle. By the time she reached the front doors of the palace she had a fully assembled guard of four lead by Buliara herself. Sighing in excitement, she pushed the doors open thus opening herself up to the evening sunshine. As expected, it was a beautiful day, just the type that was meant to be spent outdoors instead of indoors. _Hm, I wonder if I should think about getting a sunroof or something of the like in the office, would certainly make things easier to bear._ While on that train of thought she shout of taking it one step forward and making such an addition to the meeting chamber of the Gerudo Council. Goddesses knew they could have used it instead of the dreary and "mystic" candle-lit darkness her ancestors had gone for.

As expected, everyone parted ways for her, even those who seemed to be in the middle of strenuous tasks requiring for Riju to give them her blessing to carry on. What really mattered to her was when she smiled at them, they all smiled back at her, even the visiting Gorons, who practically rolled themselves over attempting to show her the proper respect. Admittedly, she got a laugh or two out of them when their bodies went tumbling forcing her to stop and watch her fellow Gerudo go after them.

Of all her favorite places in her hometown, the _Sunbeam Torrent_ was unarguably one of her favorites, and she was far from alone. Just before she'd left Riju could hear her royal guard arguing with one another over who would accompany her. Being her personal guard Buliara was exempt from the fight, a fact she took pride in as Riju had observed several times.

"Hey, Nelda, I'm here for my midday snack!" Shouted the young chieftain catching the attention of the entire room.

"L-L-Lady Riju!" Stammered the Gerudo with hair the color of fine wine. For a few precious seconds she stared in open mouth shock at seeing the young chieftain before her. Thankfully, since this had become something of a habit her recovery time had gotten better. "C-C-Can I assume the usual for you and your guests?"

"Yep, so, how's best been?"

"F-Fine, even better now that you're here."

As expected of a bright and sunny day, the bar was relatively packed, of course with a mixture of Gerudo, Gorons, and poorly disguised men. Said men flinched quite badly as Riju's emerald eyes scoured the bar. It was a good thing for her that spending so much time with Link had thought her how to recognize certain "masculine features" that went unnoticed by a majority of her people. And it was good for them that she was kind enough not to rat any of them out.

Her favorite seat was always open, and by she meant even if someone was sitting there then the minute she walked in they got up and chose another seat. Riju wasn't exactly proud of it, but it was a perk of being queen. Positioned in the far-right corner of the bar she had a perfect view of a nearby pond ringed with flowers and stone arrangements. In the aftermath of rain when the sun came out a rainbow could often be seen just hovering above the water's surface. The spot made for a perfect little retreat, either for herself or when she had Link with her; one day she hoped she and Link would be able to share the spot together, both of them as they are instead of one wearing a disguise.

 _Speaking of Link, I wonder how he and Zelda re doing._ Her fingers began to innocently drum along the table as she patiently waited for her fruit drink, what would be the first of many. _The delegation from the Kingdom of Cornulia should be arriving right about now. What will be said, what will be done, how will it affect the rest of us?_ There'd been something of an uproar when it was learned Zelda would be meeting with the foreign delegation alone without Riju or even Prince Sidon of the Zoras. Truthfully, she didn't at all mind, especially since most of those complaining were merely sour they didn't get a chance to grab at power.

Power, she'd heard the word often enough and knew it could be gained and lost with frightening ease. Not to mention some were willing to go to dangerous lengths to get it.

"A rupee for your thoughts, Lady Riju?"

Glancing at her bodyguard, Riju sighed. "Is it wrong that I'm supposed to be on brink and I'm still worrying?"

"About the meeting with the Cornulian delegation? Not all, it merely begins you're beginning to think like a chieftain should." Buliara cleared her throat as she turned her gaze to the outside. "Milady, if I may, all we can do now is simply believe in Queen Zelda and…"

"And…Link?" Innocently jested the younger Gerudo. Though she knew her bodyguard had the highest respect for the Hylian Champion, she still behaved as any atypical older sibling or even parent would have; sometimes it was amusing to Riju while at other times it made things harder than they had to be. That said, it was better than Buliara finding out the truth about her and Link. If she did then Riju knew Link would have to climb up to Vah Medoh to escape Buliara's wrath, and even that might not have been enough. _Maybe I should think about doing something for him, he did say that politics wasn't his thing._

A moment later and their waitress arrived carrying a tray on which sat two drinks, one orange-colored while the other was a bright purple. With great excitement, Riju lapped up the purple while Buliara patiently began sipping on the orange. Renewed energy flowed through her stall body.

"Your food will be prepared in just a second, milady"

"Take your time." Spoke Riju in a dreamy voice. "Say, Buliara, do you think I could-Buliara?"

Her bodyguard's face was tense, frighteningly tense. Though she remained seated Riju could tell in a heartbeat she'd be on her feet and bolting out of the _Sunbeam Torrent_. Following her stern glare, Riju found herself looking outward into the town trying to decipher what was wrong.

A moment later and she knew.

"Buliara, the wind-"

It came suddenly and without warning, much like it did in nature. Whipping flags, clothing and anything else not bound done, the wind tore through Gerudo Town like a mad beast on a rampage. All over, citizens stopped to anchor themselves done, that was if they were coherent enough to do such a thing. Sand and rock flew across the raging gale pelting anyone and anything not shielded. Eyes sealed shut while bodies either huddled together or dived for cover. Inside the bar, the occupants were no exception.

Buliara flipped over the table so that she and Riju were shielded, then she went a step further. Forgetting their drinks, she reached for the young ruler then drew her into her arms. Riju didn't fight back as she felt her own latent instincts flaring up. Filling up her ears were startled cries and screams.

Barely a moment later and a new sound drowned them out-the roaring of a fiery explosion.

* * *

 **And cut. I feel like there's a good place to stop at for the second chapter. I'd like to think I got the ball rolling so you can all start guessing how things are going to play out. You've got a neighboring kingdom piecing itself back together like Hyrule with some magical stones that can cause some damage in the wrong hands and some rebels looking to start trouble. I have plans for how things will go between Hyrule and Cornulia, as well as the characters in each starting next chapter when I turn Gerudo Town into a nice little warzone curtsy of some rogue ninja with a bone to pick and some maniacs with firepower. Now, obviously the Gerudo take security very seriously and there will be an explanation as to why the previously mentioned happens. After said attack is over and the damage is being accessed of course.**

 **This makes chapter number two and my last update for 2018, which I must say has been a very…wild year for a number of reasons. Happy New Year, readers, and to 2019 when this story will continue!**


	3. Chapter 3-Paint it Red, Paint it Blue

**Hey, everyone, welcome to the (belated) first chapter of the new year! Last chapter I obviously ended things are a major cliffhanger so let's not waste any time in getting into the action.**

 **I do now own anything.**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 3-Paint it Red, Paint it Blue**_

Riju's blood came to a complete stop the moment her ears registered the first explosion. The next two or three unfroze it and got it pumping, except rather than being warm it was now cold as ice. Her mind snapped back into some sort of frenzied order as it struggled to process what she was hearing. _Explosions. Explosions in Gerudo Town that I know absolutely nothing about._ Not a second later and Riju heard the first screams, those made the ice in her blood change into fire. It pushed her to bolt upward only for a firm hand to catch her and seat her down. Instantly, her green eyes went to the stern emerald of Buliara's. In an instant, a silent argument was waged ending with the queen being the loser. She bit her lip making it known how much she wanted to join the fray; it was her people being attacked.

"Stay here with them." Buliara motioned to the other patrons of the bar. "I promise you, whoever has done this, I will return to you with their heads."

In spite of the situation, Riju's lips ticked upward in a jesting smile. Her head shot out to grasp her protector's. "Just make sure to come back with _your_ head still attached to your neck, alright?"

Those rare times the sword-wielding Gerudo smiled were the times Riju was usually grateful for. In this instance though, she hoped they weren't tempting fate. She looked over to the rest of her guards, finding them giving her similar expressions. It was a well-known fact that Riju cared about every member of her royal guard, and they cared about her, which was exactly why they were about to go off and cut down anyone who dared threaten her or their people.

"Dareia, Karme," Barked the head guardian to her two comrades who'd crawled over during the chaos outside. Their faces were just as grim as hers and their eyes blazing with a similar flame of resolve. "Protect Lady Riju and the others with your lives, the rest of you, with me!" A resounding boom of yeses met her ears. Confident in her sisters and her young lord, Buliara gripped her sword as she vaulted over the overturned table and bolted into the fray, a line of armed Gerudo following her. It didn't occur to Riju that they might have been so filled with anger and excitement that they might have forgotten to take prisoners.

 _Isn't that what's supposed to be done in a situation like this?_ Thought the young redhead as she and the other bar-goers were hustled down into the basement of the building. Nelda had once joked to her about the restaurant being built over a fortified bunker made to withstand stronger than average sandstorms. One day she asked to show it, and being queen she got exactly that-a spacious basement of three inner-connected rooms stock-piled with supplies to be served topside and used in case of emergencies. It was just large enough for the ten or so bar-goers including herself and the staff to fit into and still have enough room to move around in.

"L-Lady Riju, p-please this way." Spoke Nelda taking her by the head and guiding her toward a back room. It didn't really surprise her that somewhere in the underground there was a secret passage leading out; her mother had told her how a good number of the older buildings had a secret passage or two in case of an emergency.

"What about the Gorons?" Her question admittedly caught everyone off-guard, including the previously mentioned Gorons. Sparing a glance at the five rock-composed beings, it occurred to her that the tunnels were made for the tall and lanky, not the big and bulky such as them. Almost immediately, Dareria and Karme's faces became raked with confusion. Riju beat them to the punch, "Yes, I'm well aware my safety is important, but you can't expect me to leave innocent people for dead, now do you?" She'd already done a head count, including her bodyguards, in total there were sixteen people. Eight Gerudo females, three Gerudos, and five males. Through their disguises she could see sweat pouring down their foreheads and bodies; this definitely wasn't what they were expecting when they probably got dressed up and snuck in.

"U-Um e-excuse me, L-Lady Riju?" Stepping forward, one of the Gorons constantly flickered his gaze from her to the ground. Against seemingly all biological possibilities, Gorons could sweat if only a little. Such a thing was what Riju was seeing. "D-Don't worry about u-us. W-We Gorons are built to be pretty sturdy. P-P-Please, save yourself."

A murmur of approvals sounded from the rest of the rock-based creatures.

Keeping a sigh repressed, Riju stood defiant before the hidden door. "Look, though you may not be Gerudo, you are still guest in my realm, and most importantly, we are _all_ citizens of Hyrule." A tremor shook the entire underground causing dust and rock fragments to cascade downward. Internally, Riju grimaced. _We can't stay down here forever, and I can't just leave half of these people! Goddesses dammit, there's got to be something I can do! Think!_ Of all things, she thought back to her parents' fairy tales pertaining to the distant past of the Gerudo. Back then it was said her ancestors possessed great magical power allowing them to conjure up sand storms and even ride upon the wind crossing great distances. _That's great and all, but it's not like I've got any kind of power resembling-wait a second!_ Overhead, another tremor shook the ceiling and walls causing further discomfort for the trapped occupants.

"L-Lady Riju," Began Karme, her dark green eyes alternating between her and the ceiling. "Forgive me for saying, but now may not be the best time to play with your Sheikah Slat."

"Actually, now's the perfect time as it may be what saves us!" With two people, she knew the Sheikah Slate's teleportation function could work, she'd seen and lived through such tests herself. With over ten people including a couple of Gorons and poorly disguised males? Riju knew full well she was taking a major gamble, but it was worth a shot in her mind. _Where do I send them all though? It's not like the Sheikah Towers were meant to be used as evac points on short notice!_ The Wasteland Tower was most certainly out, never mind her fellow Gerudo, the Gorons would sink like rocks in trying to cross the surrounding bog. That left her with only the Gerudo Tower, the tallest Sheikah Tower in all of Hyrule. It was risky, but it was-

 _ **BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!**_

Now there were several visible cracks forming above their heads. Alarmed, the Gerudo, Gorons, and disguised Hylians began to nervously chatter amongst themselves. Riju felt the eyes of her protectors on her. Any second now, the secret passage way could give out meaning it was now or never.

"I have an idea, but everyone is going to need to join hands while connected to me!" Her eyes burned with determination, enough for Karme and Dareria to shut their mouths in obedience of her command. "Look, this is going to feel weird, but if we survive, well, praise the goddesses!" Taking hold of her Sheikah Slat, she pulled up the map, a second later the Gerudo Tower was selected. "Dareria, to my right, Karme, my left, everyone else, hold onto those two!"

Without a moment's hesitation, her tow bodyguards took up positions on either side of her, their hands firmly on her shoulders. Beside them, the former bar patrons did the same until they were all connected into a giant mish-mash with Riju at the center. Another explosion sounded with the unmistakable sound of rocks cracking and breaking reaching their ears.

 _Goddesses above, mother, father, Aunt Urbosa, please, let this work!_ Thought the young ruler calling forth her latent power before pressing down hard on the icon representing her destination. For a brief second, the slat flashed green, then bright blue erupted from the newly-crafted piece of technology. The glow completely consumed her before spreading to her guards, and then to the bar patrons connected to them. All together they merged into a single sphere of blue energy outlined by white lines.

For a moment, the larger than average sphere hovered in the air, then it shot upward, phasing through layer upon layer of breaking rock. Almost a heartbeat later and said layers gave way, collapsing inward burying the basement, and hidden passage way beneath hundreds of tons of rumble.

* * *

"GAAAHHH!"

Riju didn't mind her face hitting the hard flooring of the top of the tower, it was much more preferable to being incinerated or buried alive. Matter of fact, the almost familiar pain was proof she was alive. Rather than heat, she felt a somewhat frosty wind caress her skin followed by cries of alarm and shock from the others.

 _Heh, Link, I believe your…mentality is starting to rub off on me._ Slowly, she rose to a sitting position to find she'd managed to bring everyone with her, and they'd landed safely atop the Gerudo Tower within the North of the Gerudo Desert. "I know it was unexpected, but is everyone okay? Darmeia? Karme?"

Darmeia raised up a hand while Karme laughed as she unsteadily got to her feet using her sword as a crutch. "I-I believe your…inner warrior is beginning to awaken, Lady Riju. Such a fast-acted trick such as that, q-quite the stunt, not that we're ungrateful for it."

"D-Damn straight." Spoke the man disguised as a woman beside her. His grin was shaky yet heartfelt none the less. "I-I gotta admit, the stories about you being one tough young lady are true!"

It was a simple gesture-a scratching the head that would have gone unnoticed and unalarming. Except a wig was involved, and the previously ordeal had stressed the man out quite well causing it to begin coming undone. And the knockout blow was delivered in a moment of relief.

A long mane of black hair fell away revealing somewhat spiky brown, the likes of which could only belong to a male, oh, and the face veil went as well.

 _Eh, hehe, nothing quite like a crisis to bring people together, huh?_

"Wha…what…WHAT IS THIS?!"

Somewhere between terrified and relieved, the man held up his hands in an attempted show of peace. "U-U-Um, w-would you believe me if I told you it was a trick of the desert? Or that I'm just a _really_ ugly woman?"

"I agree with the ugly part." Chuckled another disguised male causing his companion to glare at him. He got off one more chuckle before his dark-haired companion reached forward and ripped off the red-colored wig and face-veil that had protected his male face. "Hey!"

"A…A second one?!" Gasped Karme scrambling from the newly revealed blond Hylian as if he were some poisonous scorpion.

Riju would have liked to sit back and enjoyed the show, but there was business to be had. While the others were distracted due to just narrowly cheating death by a hair, she'd turned her mind to more serious topics. In spite of being quite a way's distance from her home, she could smell the smoke riding the air. Far in the distance Riju could see the columns of smoke rising from Gerudo Town; if she had to guess, the battle was no doubt raging in full force. Her people needed her.

The young Gerudo never could have anticipated what happened next, honestly, no one could have. One minute she was opening her mouth to speak only to shut it as she felt an unexpected chill run up her spine. It wasn't the sort born from being kissed by the freezing air, it was a warning.

In her hands, the Sheikah Slat flashed red, a color that made her blood run cold as ice. Briefly, the slat's blue screen warped and changed colors becoming crimson as blood with a familiar logo on it. Riju's fingers never got the chance to let go of the device as some unknown forced magnetized her palms to the metallic surface. Exploding outward was a red-colored dome of energy that didn't so much burn as chill her. Behind her, she was aware of her guards crying out in alarm while rushing forward. Riju managed to turn her head just in time to open her mouth to scream before the world went black.

"Hah! Told you it was going to work, and to think you doubted me and the rest of the tech division!" Cackled a male voice.

A snort quickly followed. "Yeah, yeah, get over yourself. Now then, help me tie her up, she's just a squirt so she shouldn't be-"

What combat training she did have had done…small wonders for her. Though a good chunk of her time was spent sitting on a throne or behind a desk, it had escaped no one that she needed to know how to defend herself should the worst happen. More than that, the Gerudo blood in her called for her to know how to swing a sword. That blood which had silently pumped through her roared to fiery life in hearing the two voices as she attempted to rouse herself awake. Riju's body acted on pure instinct, reason and logic being clouds of dust she left in her wake.

Quick as a flash, her scimitar flew from the hilt behind her waist, cleaving through air, and eventually flesh. The rest of her body was moving almost just as quickly, what started as a roll ended with her on her feet, a ferocious snarl on her usual passive and happy face. "Yiga," Barked the redheaded girl.

Holding his bleeding chest, the smaller of the two continuously gasped and cursed through his mask. Clearly, he hadn't been expecting her to regain consciousness so fast, or react to her kidnapping with a hidden blade. His compatriot on the other hand, a slightly more buff clanman, held him back by the arm. Through his red-marked mask Riju could feel him glaring coldly at her. Fashioned tightly to his hip was a crescent-shaped sickle blade. There was no doubt in Riju's body a fight between the two of them would come down to who could swing their blade the fastest, and hit the most vital organ.

What really caught her attention though was the object behind the two of them. Surrounded by a group of three Yiga stood a Guardian, one whose normal blue outlines was done glowing red, just like her Sheikah Slat seconds before she was nabbed and teleported almost a quarter of a mile. It didn't take her long to place the pieces together; holding her scimitar blade out, she took a single step back while glaring at the lot of her kidnappers. Above their heads pockets of blue could be seen even as the sky grew darker and darker with the heavy presence of smoke. Distantly, she could hear the cackling of fire and the sounds of battle.

"Now, now, no need for such…resistance, Lady Riju." Came a male voice she didn't recognize. "Put down your blade and we promise we will spare your people and you yourself will be unharmed." Out from the modified Guardian did he step, a man who clearly wasn't a rogue Sheikah. Dressed in black and brown-colored rags with pieces or armor on his left shoulder and both arms, his hoodie was done revealing a somewhat handsome face with black hair and cold green eyes. The smirk he gave Riju through his face mask made her skin crawl. "Besides, any attempted resistance against us won't end well for you, take our word for it."

Riju was now at the edge of the rooftop. Sweat was accumulating on her face as she attempted to figure out a way out of the current situation. It wasn't like she was going to be walking away from this without injury, but the important thing was she walked away at all, and destroyed that modified Guardian. Somehow, it'd been able to lock-in on her Sheikah Slat and teleport her here into the hands of the enemy. Such a thing could no be allowed to continue to exist, it had to be destroyed. Now, doing that with a simple scimitar wasn't going to be easy, but Riju had a few tricks up her sleeve. Biting her lip, Riju focused her gaze on the mysterious leader of her enemies. Again, he wasn't a Yiga, which meant she didn't know what to expect from him. In the light of the nearby flames she noticed the gems glistening on his armor and gauntlets.

"You say my resistance will amount to nothing, but I won't know unless I try, will I?" She could smell it in the air, ozone, static, just what she wanted. Her eyes stayed focused on the dark-haired man while the Yiga took up positions behind him appearing to act as his backup. Yes, if she made a move it was going to have to be big. "At least do me the honor of showing me the face of the man who seemingly curbed the Yiga into obedience."

Her words had the expected reaction. "Watch it, you redhead bitch!" Snapped one of them stepping forward with his sickle brandished. Riju said nothing at the red stains along the blade, she'd get him back later. "In case you haven't noticed, we've decimated your shitty little town so you don't have any room to talk!"

Twirling her knife, the future ruler stood upright with one hand to her ear. "Decimated? Hate to burst your bubble, but we Gerudo have weathered sandstorms far graver than this. Matter of fact, I'm pretty sure all I'm hearing are the sounds of traitorous pieces of filth pleading for mercy. Ah, such a lovely sound if I must say so."

Behind the mask, a bull-like snarl exploded through a set of nostrils. "That's it! Forget the plan, I'm taking this bitch's head!"

The bait had been taken, and Riju had everything she needed.

Control was something she was somewhat lacking when it came to using her aunt's thunder magic, but sometimes control wasn't necessary. All she needed to do was summon a simple spark and let chaos do the rest. That's exactly what she did. Above her, arcs of lightning jumped in-between the puffs of smoke; the smell of ozone went from passing to near all consuming. Finally, the flash came, followed by the great explosion.

Riju shut her eyes and turned on her heel. There was no need to physically see the bolt of lightning she'd called down as she felt it deep in her bones. Surely it struck the target, what other reason could there have been for her captors crying out in panic. She heard a curse come from the dark-clothed stranger followed by a tingle up her spine. From her backside came the all-consuming explosion that sent shards of rock, metal, and potentially flesh, scattering in all directions. Hitting the near rooftop over, Riju once again went into a roll that ended with her springing across the rooftop to the next one. Only once did she look back to see her handywork. It was hard to repress a smirk of proud accomplishment.

From an onlooker's view, it seemed as if the entire rooftop had been made into a giant torch. The mysterious modified Guardian had thankfully gone up in smoke and flames, though Riju doubted it was the only one of its kind. She made a mental note to notify the Sheikah as soon as possible, already she could see Purah's cries of anger and rage in learning that the Yiga had taken such steps to improve on the designs of the past.

Yet another tingle ran up her spine causing her good mood to fade. Instinct told her to twist her body to the side, that's exactly what she did. What sailed past her was a medium-sized ball of blue magical energy. Riju's hair stood up on end even after the blast continued to fly off into the distance, eventually exploding. She didn't dare look back as she already knew what, or rather who, was on her tail. The stranger's shouts of fury would have been amusing if she wasn't aware of the fact her country was burning and her people fighting for survival. More energy bolts flew out, just barely missing her with one coming a tad too close to her shoulder. Riju couldn't help but hiss as she registered the pain but kept going none the less.

"YOU BROUGHT THIS ON YOURSELF!"

Massive was fitting description for the attack. Biting her lip, Riju hurled herself over the nearby rooftop edge already knowing it was going to hurt. Expectedly, she hit the hard stone with a thud, it was preferable to letting the magical energy bolt that flew by her roast her skin. The danger hadn't passed yet as the l standing up, that got her on her feet and moving again. More magical bolts followed, each one she could feel getting closer and closer to her, and stronger as well.

Riju knew she couldn't keep running forever, nor did she want to. _Sweet Din, this is SO going to hurt, and I'm going to get chewed out by Buliara! On the upside, it'll make a cool story to tell!_ Her feet touched the ground again, and in the same second Riju spun on her heel to face the direction where the shots were coming from. Flames dotted the surroundings of course, like some madman had taken a torch to the whole of Gerudo Town. The sight was enough to make Riju's blood boil, which made it easier for her to call upon the magical power that dwelled inside of her. Bright green arcs of electricity conjured around her palm, which was facing outward in the direction of her foe. Through the dancing flames, Riju caught sight of a building blue-light, her pursuer. "I told you, didn't I?" She roared over the inferno. "I won't go without a fight!"

Their attacks were fired off in seconds of each other, one a bluish-white mass of pure magical energy condensed into a bullet, the other, a collection of twisting and arcing green lightning bolts. In seconds they traveled the distance and met one another in mid-air. Riju grunted as she felt the muscles in her right arm seize as if they were being put under strain. From a distance, she watched her lightning bolts clash and push against the magic bullet, the opposing attack equally fueled by her pursuer's will and strength. Riju didn't want to admit it, but she was impressed, through the collision of their blasts she could feel the power behind her opponent, it was almost enough to make her respect him. Almost. Steeling herself, she poured all her strength into the lightning, believing it'd be all that it would take to seize victory.

Instead, it all blew up in her face, literally.

Blue and green mixed together into a cackling, swirling mass of energy. Dozens of sparkles illuminated the air, then the mass exploded outward like a bomb. The superheated air reached a new level as Riju heard solid stone, stone that had weathered intense sandstorms and such, give way like wood beneath an ax's blade. Riju felt her own skin blister as she shielded her face from the burst of energy. Her body slid across the rooftop, unable to stand the gale-force winds that came with it all. It wasn't quite the outcome she'd been expecting, but at the very least she'd managed to avoid getting a hole blown through her chest.

 _ **Boom!**_

Or not.

"SHIT!" Her arms shot outward, green arcs forming in-between her fingertips. It was no good as the massive fireball heading straight for her made contact before her shield could be fully formed. Even if the target wasn't her directly, the force generated by the blast was more than enough to throw her backwards like a ragdoll. Far reaching was her scream as Riju felt portions of her body suffer under the intense heat and shrapnel, and then just as quickly as it all fell over her, it was replaced with the hard feel of the ground. Riju grunted in discontent as she felt her body roll across what was undoubtedly solid ground for the first time in what felt like hours. It wasn't a pleasant feeling at all. Blood swelled in her mouth and exited through her lips as she gasped for breath. Her whole body ached from combination of the burns, physical trauma, and exhaustion. Blackness eventually gave away to a mish-mash of colors from which nothing could be definitely made out.

Riju knew she'd pushed her luck. At the very least she'd been able to move the people in the bar out of harm's way, that was the one consolation she could take faith in. It was that same achievement that gave her the strength to last at last try to push herself upright. The pain came hard and fast, but Riju wasn't going to let that stop her.

"Woah, this girl's got some spunk!" Came a snobbish male voice. "Perhaps she is related to the Great Ganon after all!"

The young chieftain immediately decided that once she could move again, she'd kill the guy who made that comment first. She might not have been able to make his death drawn out, but she'd certainly try to make it painful.

There was another male snort, this time from her left. "Don't give her too much credit. All this brat did was keep the game going on a bit longer. Nothing to write home about, besides, look at her! This so-called chieftain is still nothing but a kid barely out of her diapers!"

The kick came barely a second later, Riju's mouth opened in a loud scream as the pain traveled from her left side through the rest of her at light-speed. Very quickly did the agony reach the level of some of her most painful wipeouts when sand-surfing on Patricia, perhaps even exceeding it. As quickly as the scream came, Riju tried to shut her mouth, her pride forcing her to act. She was descendent of Queen Urbosa herself, pilot of one of the Divine Beasts, she had to hold onto her self-worth even if it killed her.

As her eyes finally gained the ability to open, Riju realized that's just what end up happening.

The red-painted masks of the Yiga stared back at her, behind them the traitors were no doubt grinning like fools have subdued her. Among their number was her original pursuer, his face twisted into a fearsome scowl he directed solely at her. Something told her if he could get away with it, he'd blast her face clean off. Had Riju's self-control been as poor as her elders believed she would have baited him into doing so.

"Nice run, but the game's over, little girl." He snapped looking to her with evident disdain.

"Last I checked…I'm still…breathing." The redhead managed to ground out.

The Yiga to her right snorted. Riju immediately recognized him as the one who'd kicked her. His foot rose again, this time in position over her stomach. "Only because we still need you alive, so do yourself a favor and shut-"

 _ **SWISH!**_

"AHHH! AHHH!"

Fast as the wind, or so the saying went. That was the creed Gerudo warriors had lived by; part of the principal had gone into their weapons-crafting resulting in blades that were made for short and swift slashes. All it took was a single slash to the right place and a battle could be over or a moment given to allow one the chance to regroup. Riju did a little bit of both, odds were her soon-to-be captors would make her pay for her actions, but defiance was something that ran in her Gerudo blood.

Speaking of blood, she got a nice little spray from where her tormentor's ankle used to be. He fell to the ground, screaming his head off at the bloody stump that used to be his left foot. Through bloody lips, Riju managed to smile. To hear the cries of agony from one of the people who'd attacked her home, it filled her with a dark sense of joy, and pride. Should the worse happen, she'd at least be able to tell her ancestors she went down swinging.

Using the splint second window of adrenaline, Riju reached behind her back for her second scimitar. Her green eyes zeroed-in on one of the panicking Yiga, and that's exactly who she went for. He caught sight of her a splint-second and screamed in alarm causing Riju's grin to widen.

 _ **SMACK!**_

The pain wasn't as intense as the kick, but it was enough for Riju to cry out in open discomfort. Her scimitars tumbled from her hands as she stumbled backward, her hands going to her stomach. Riju's ears just barely registered the sound of metal sliding and wind being splint apart. The next thing she knew, a cold metal tip was being pressed against her cheeks.

"If you want to keep that pretty face from getting more scratched up, then you better quit the rebellious princess act." The Blademaster's faceless gaze was as cold and merciless as the weapon he wielded, the weapon he had directed at Riju's cheek. "Do you understand my words?"

"…If I go with you, will you spare my home and my people?" She simply said flickering her gaze to the others. To her right she noticed how the clanman she'd previously wounded being treated by his allies. His screams hadn't ceased in the slightest.

The bolt-flinging man grunted. "Yeah, yeah, we'll leave you and this little band of desert-dwelling rats alone."

Though her body was raked with throbbing pain, Riju found it in her to laugh. "These so-called desert rats have managed to give you invaders a good run for your money. Last I checked it's only Yiga screaming to their pathetic pig-demon for mercy, not Gerudo."

Sadly, the Blademaster didn't take the bait, unlike his compatriots. The one wielding the Meteor Rod looked especially eager to use it on her.

A pity his arms went before he'd have the chance to use his magical tool again.

"Ah…AAAHHH!"

It was faster than Riju's surprise attack by a considerable margin, and a second later she realized the attack wasn't over yet. The wind howled as something metallic cut through the ash and flame-tinted air with remarkable speed. Faintly, her ears registered the sound of flesh and bone being sliced followed by the spraying of blood. Mere seconds later and the screams of the amputated rose above the smoky air. Riju tried to do her best to pin point the source of the sound, and she found it in a silvery object that was moving through the air like a boomerang. It was heading straight for the Yiga Blademaster, who scuffed at the oncoming projectile.

In a flash of whitish-blue, Riju heard the sound of metal being sliced apart. Hitting the dirt were two halves of what she recognized to be Lizal Forked Boomerang. Not even a heartbeat later and the traitorous warrior's katana was on the move again, this time deflecting a three-pronged boomerang. This one wasn't as easily vanished as Riju caught the countless sparks born from the weapon pushing against the sword while rotating at high-speeds. After a short struggle, the Blademaster at last fended off the thrown weapon, but in the brief window of time that followed, a new threat emerged.

 _ **SLISH!**_

"Riju, are you okay?"

Oh, how she'd longed to hear that voice, even before things turn a turn for the worse. But it was the face that she could have done without. As blood sprayed from the perfectly horizontal wound on the Yiga clanman, Link looked back to face her. His eyes were…they were a strange mixture of relief, detachment, and barely contained rage, all of which battled for dominance. The moment they finally registered her existence relief overtook the other two emotions, even as blood dripped from the Master Sword. Link paid absolutely no mind to the corpse he'd created which hit the ground with a loud thud, red liquid spilling from the wound on the stomach and cascading down the sides.

She spotted a few splotches of blood on his sky-blue tunic serving as proof he'd already run through obstacles trying to get to her. Something in Riju's gut told her Link had dispatched anything or anyone who stood in his way with the same ruthless efficiency as he had the Blademaster. How many he'd slain she didn't know, and frankly she didn't care.

Stabbing his sword into the ground, Link kneeled before her, his eyes slowly drinking in the extent of her injuries. "Hey, hey, I know it looks bad, but trust me, I've had worse wipeouts on the sand." He knew she was lying and she knew he knew, but Riju felt obligated to try if it put him at ease for only a second, and it brought back some of the man she loved. It succeeded as his eyes softened if only for a brief second before changing direction. Riju followed his gaze to find the green-eyed male glaring back at them. Magically energy was pooling between his palms in preparation for a short-range blast that would surely have even someone as durable as Link reeling if he took a direct hit.

"Well, if it isn't-"

Riju felt the gale of air hit her cheeks before her ears registered the sound of steel clashing against metal. After only a single blink her eyes were able to find her sword-wielding lover, the most sacred blade in all of Hyrule was pushing against the metal gauntlets of the mysterious attacker, and the swordsman was winning. A grunt of effort left the green-eyed male as Link continued to press down upon him, his gaze focus and his mouth sealed shut in a straight line. While a little blue aura could be seen enveloping the masked man, Link's aura was invisible to the eyes but very visible to the heart and soul. It was much greater on account of being a condensed mass of anger, all of it being focused on the man before him.

 _ **CRACK!**_

The first break what Link had been waiting for. Just as with the young chieftain, green arcs of lightning began to jump across Link's body. Upon seeing it, the masked man snickered. "Really, the same trick as the little queen? Really, you Hylians need to learn some new-wh-what?!"

"A-Auntie?" Whispered Riju watching the ethereal form of her departed aunt materialized behind her boyfriend. The astral figure turned around allowing her to see her face, confirming it truly was her. Immediately, the confident and assuring smile she'd grown used to came to her face before she turned back to face Link's opponent. Riju smelled raw ozone in the air seconds before the thunderclap came.

"AARRAAAGGGHHH!"

Without a doubt, the power Link wielded as Urbosa's Fury far surpassed Riju's own abilities. Some days that thought actually left her feeling depressed, but at times like this she couldn't help but be grateful he'd taken to her ancestor's power so readily. Almost the entirety of the man's body disappeared in the twisting arcs of lightning as they ate away at him. In a matter of seconds his pain-filled cries were drowned out by the cackling of lightning. Riju would have felt a tad sorry for the man had he not been a part of the attack against her home and spent the last several minutes or so shooting at her with the intent to capture and ransom her. With those things in mind she couldn't help but watch the literal roasting with mild interest.

A second passed and the lightning faded leaving behind a charred and smoking body behind. At first, Riju believed the man to be dead, but one glance into his glazed over olive-colored eyes told him her he still had some life left in him. He wasn't going to be causing her or her people trouble again any time so, or ever depending on the severity of his wounds. Like the slain Blademaster, he too hit the ground, hollow breaths leaving his charred lips. It joined the lowered but still audible groans and cries of the Yiga clan members around the two of them, the blood still gushing from their wounds.

"Stand still, I'm going to treat your wounds." Not missing a beat, Link turned back to face her, his face serious.

"L-Link, a-as nice as that would be, in case you haven't noticed, we've got bigger problems." She began attempting to rise only for him to stop her with a hand on her shoulder. "G-Gerudo Town is-"

"Going to be alright, trust me, Cornulia…it isn't as bad as I thought." He grinned before holding out his hands. "Mipha, I could use your help here." Answering his plea, the ethereal form of the deceased Zora princess materialized beside the two of them. While she'd somewhat grown accustomed to seeing her aunt, Mipha was a different story. Especially in light of her and Link's current…relationship. Even if she was currently deceased Riju still couldn't help but feel a strange sense of…worry and even guilt whenever she came upon her vintage anywhere in Hyrule.

All the spirit did was smile at her, as it always did when called upon by the Hylian swordsman. Her palms opened and from them came a mystical wave of light that washed over Riju. Bliss came seconds later, bliss and an overwhelming sense of relief that had all of her muscles relaxing. In seconds the pain was washed away leaving the Gerudo feeling like she was floating on clouds. Briefly, she inhaled through her nose, the smell of smoke and ash had been replaced by the salty smell of the sea. Riju welcomed the pleasant aroma in spite of knowing it was only temporary and when it was gone, she'd have to go back to harsh reality.

Quickly as it all came the sensation was gone, though Riju could have sworn she still felt the lingering sense of tranquility. Emerald eyes fluttered open, and of course Link's smiling face was the first thing she saw. Her own lips twitched upward into a smile seconds before he swept his arms around her.

"Thank Hylia I got here in time." He whispered. So close, Riju realized he was trembling. "I was…when we heard about the attack I…"

"Hey, I like to think I did pretty well for myself until you showed up." Chuckled the future queen placing a hand on his shoulder. As good as it felt to be close to him, the cackling flames in her ear reminded Riju that this was neither the time nor the place for romance. Not to mention if anyone saw them then there'd be-

"I see, I'll go finish off the rest of the enemy. You can see to protecting Lady Riju."

Owing to their couple status, Riju and Link reacted to the sudden voice in the exact same way, with the exact same volume as they snapped their heads in one direction. His hair was more of a dusty brown color which complimented his eyes, a light turquoise that cackled with amusement as he watched on with a smile. Most of the upper armor he usually wore had been shed revealing a dark red tunic with light yellow-imprints running along the side. In his left hand sat a bow while slung over his back was a quiver stock-full of arrows. One of said arrows was being twirled in his right hand. He whistled as the two broke apart, their faces growing redder than the flames around them.

"No, no, don't stop now. I'm sure there's an empty building somewhere that you two can finish up. Master Link, have no fear, me and my fellow knights are more than capable of taking care of the remaining stranglers, not to mention there are our countrymen so consider it my treat." Offered the archer notching his head to the side.

Link stood up first, quickly shaking his head in an attempt to look professional. "A-Actually, n-no! T-This i-is my kingdom, a-and I-I am Hyrule's protector so I can't leave all of this to you, Evan!"

"A-And I-I am this town's ruler, i-it's monarch! I-I must be on the frontlines as well." Riju immediately added, though it only seemed to further amuse the newcomer.

"Suit yourselves, but there might not be much for either of you to do, the battle is almost over after all." The arrow in his hand came to a stop with its arrowhead pointing toward the sky. Link and Riju followed the point upward and were quite surprised at what they found. Black clouds, rain clouds, had suddenly manifested high above their heads. Looking out, their mouths dropped in realizing said clouds were quickly covering the whole of Gerudo Town. Simultaneously, they shuddered then expelled crystal-clear rainwater, which began to eat away at the flames raging across the settlement. "Consider this the first piece of the Cornulian apology, Lady Riju. Oh, and by the way, Evan Hanley, member of the Cornulian Knight Corp."

She was still so stunned by the sight of rain clouds over her homeland that Riju barely registered the young man's introduction. "U-Um, y-yes, w-well…um…thank you." Her hands lay outstretched to catch the dozens of raindrops. In spite of feeling them on her cheeks and even her tongue, Riju did as she'd done since she was a child-feel something with her hands to know it was indeed real. "How…"

"Magic stones, right?" Link answered shooting a sideways smirk at the Cornulian knight.

"Bingo, we, um, can give you Hyrule folk a few if it'll help." Evan offered with a nervous chuckle. "Lady Riju, we came with reinforcements so right about now, the last of the Yiga and the traitors should be either dead, captured, or fleeing for the hills. You can take it easy now, and Master Link, I…um…" Green and blue stared intently at the nineteen-year-old warrior, who nervously scratched his head as he took a step back. "I didn't see anything, just the Hero of the Wilds rescue the Chieftain of the Gerudo and nothing more. I'll handle these guys here so we ca get some words out of them later." Another several arrows were pulled from his quiver, notched, then fired at the Yiga clanmen that were still alive as well as the magic stone-user. From each arrow sprung a pillar of cold air that when it cleared revealed the half-frozen forms of the the attackers. Their blood loss had been stopped along with whatever struggling they were in the middle of. "With that settled, I'm going to go report back, catch up to the rest of us when you're finished, provided you two aren't too busy." Evan finished with a wink before turning his back to them.

Side by side, the secret couple watched the archer depart, his footsteps echoing in the numerous puddles that were rapidly forming everywhere. Just as fiercely as the flames had raged, they began to die down, and with them the sounds of battle as well. Evan had indeed spoken the truth; the invaders had overstayed their welcome; the smarter ones would have pulled out while the fools pressed their luck. Neither Link nor Riju felt much pity for them if they ended up in the hereafter. Death or imprisonment then interrogation at the hands of some _very_ angry Gerudo, talk about being between fire and ice.

Link's hand slipped into hers once he was sure they were alone and out of danger. Around them lay a mixture of dead and the unconscious wounded, their blood having soaked into the sand which itself was becoming wettened by the magic-generated rain. He could smell death as clearly as he had when he'd arrived in Gerudo Town, his sword drawn and his eyes blazing with cold fury. As he cut down enemy after enemy, ran across buildings and through streets, he feared he'd arrived too late. To see her, bloody and wounded but still alive had been the greatest relief he'd felt all day. Turning to face her rain-soaked face, he found she felt the same way.

"Riju," She didn't bother to let him say anything else. Grabbing him by the scuff of his tunic, she pulled his face downward so their lips could meet. The kiss was hungry and needy. Link's hands snaked around her waist bringing her body against his. It seemed he was scared that if he slacked off, she would be torn away from him like Mipha was. Reluctantly, their lips separated though Link's arms remained fastened around her slim waist. She was beautiful, drenched in rain and her clothes torn, but Riju looked absolutely gorgeous to his weary eyes.

"We're here, kissing in the rain surrounded by the corpses and the frozen bodies of the comatose, either by your hand or mine. Beyond that, my domain which has just been hit by the worst attack its faced in decades." If she meant her laughter to sound mocking, then it was a miserable failure. A glimmer of hope and playfulness cackled in her eyes. It grew as Link's thumb brushed up against her eyelids, wiping away the small tear that was camouflaged by the rain. "Some secret couple we are, huh?"

His hand lay flat against her cheek, gently framing it as he stared back into her eyes. "Maybe, but I'd still give us a passing score." She shared his laughter, even when he physically separated from her entirely. "Now then, I guess we better put some rope or something around some of these guys, including charcoal over there."

Riju put a hand to her hip as she trotted over to the once screaming warrior. An empty groan could be heard coming from his lips, not even gently nudging his sides got him to raise his voice. "Speaking of which, not bad. I'm almost a bit jealous you're better at Aunt Urbosa's magic than I am."

"Well, provided we can carve out some free time, we can practice a little." Link offered gazing upward to the sky. He could already see the rain clouds beginning to dissipate a little. It wouldn't be long before the desert sun illuminated the skies once more. "On the positive side, um, maybe this means no more sneaking in while disguised as a woman. That's probably the one thing I'm looking forward to."

"Really?" Riju inquired turning to him with a raised eyebrow. He knew that look on her face, he knew it way too damn well. "Here I was thinking you'd be more excited to be _rewarded_ for rescuing me."

* * *

 _ **Gerudo Town, late evening…**_

There were times Riju had returned to her room exhausted, and there were few times she'd come back terrified. That evening was something of a rare mixture of both, though the feelings were gradually fading away, especially since she'd seen first-hand how much aid she had to call upon.

It wasn't until almost half an hour after the surprise attack ended and the damage could be assessed did Riju realize just how big the meeting between Hyrule and the Kingdom of Cornulia was. As hard as some found it to believe, it appeared the foreign nation truly intended on aiding in getting back on its feet starting with ensuring Gerudo Town was safe and secure, and its people taken care of. Riju could barely count how many knights, and mages, she'd seen bearing the Cornulia crest running from building to building, tending to injured and search. She wasn't the only one in awe, so too were her fellow Gerudo, what with having seen men for the first time in the flesh. In the back of her mind, she noted how the earlier reveal had somewhat been lost as just about everyone was too busy either asking questions or trying to ensure their loved ones had made it through the attack.

Tomorrow, Riju knew she'd have to address the issue. No doubt the council would force her hand, and she'd have to stand up for herself. As minutes turned to hours it quickly became evident that treatment and repairs could only be done with the aid of the foreigners, and other Hyrule natives who'd decided to pitch in to. There'd been a few gasps of shock and awe upon looking to the skies and seeing the winged Rito arriving carrying supplies and offering to tend to the wounded. Sitting back against a stool that had been personally brought to her, Riju couldn't help but smile to herself in seeing the great coming together of people from different backgrounds. It gave her hope for the future.

As expected, Karme and Daeria had not been happy with her when they finally arrived with the group from the bar. It'd taken them almost half an hour to get back to Gerudo Town, and by then rather than search for her they'd had to fight off foreign invaders who'd practically pushed all their buttons in one go. Riju, for her part, was just glad the two were safe, and after a short lecture from the two of them, they dropped to their knees and apologized for leaving her to fend for herself.

 _Really lucky,_ She thought as she ordered the two women to stand up so they could see her forgiving smile. _I'm truly lucky to be surrounded by people this kind, and this noble._

Still, such thoughts made it all the harder for her to accept the fact that she'd been caught completely unaware and her people had paid the price for it. Behind a steel door all those thoughts went, and as soon as she was back in her room, on advice from her council and Buliara herself, she let the frustrations shows.

"What a day this has been." Exclaimed the young chief as she allowed her back to hit the bed, a hand thrown over her arm. "Not exactly the way I pictured the day going, and even less how I believed we Gerudo would be opened up to the existences of voe." Riju supposed she should have been lucky for all the rotten men that had invaded her home, an equal number of decent men had come to defend it. That ought to have given her a good argument for the inevitable debate that was to come tomorrow.

With her sight marred, all her other senses heightened automatically. It was her hearing that picked up the near feathery footsteps of his shoes, and her "mind's eye" that told her just outside the window lay someone very important. Of course, he kept his distance, knowing how she needed her privacy. While that was true, she also needed a shoulder to lean on.

"Link, you realize if Buliara catches you, even I won't be able to save you, right?"

Through the window he stepped in. The Master Sword was still slung over his back, ready to be drawn at a moment's notice. In contrast, the smile he gave her was easy-going, the same smile she'd grown to love. Bathed in the light of the setting sun, it looked even better than average. "Hey, I've done this before so what's the problem?"

Giggling, she pated the space beside her on the bed. After placing the Master Sword at the foot of the mattress he joined her. Immediately, Riju curled into his side, his arm wrapping around her back protectively. "We've never been under what's practically a lockdown with an unknown enemy out there who's seemingly set their sights on Gerudo Town, if not all of Hyrule."

"Details." He waved off causing her to giggle again. Yes, what she needed now was definitely the love of her life at her side, and thank the goddesses that's where he was.

"So, mind telling me how the meeting with? Did you make a fool of yourself or were you as knight-like as the day you waltzed into my throne room?"

* * *

 **That's three chapters down. Obviously this one was more focused on Riju with some nice action thrown into the mix. Hopefully I kept things believable enough with the little chase segment and Riju at least putting up a fight. She held her own well enough, but things went south and there's just the threat of going up foes a step or two above you. That's why I've got a few chapters of her and Link "practicing" planned for the future. Next chapter's the fallout from this little skirmish and beyond, so stay tuned for more!**


	4. Chapter 4-Answers and Secrets

**First off, sorry for the extended wait in getting this chapter up. I had some other engagements and stories that I needed to tend to first. Without further ado, here's chapter four!**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 4-Answers and Secrets**_

One day, Riju really would have liked to wake-up with another living-creature beside her. At first, the two people who'd always been at her side were her parents. She could still remember the last time she'd fell asleep in their arms, and woke up in their arms. Sure, she was old enough to be on her own, but there was still the feel of waking up in the arms of a loved one.

Riju had someone new in her heart, undoubtedly the most desired bachelor in all of Hyrule, and perhaps beyond. Lucky didn't even begin to describe her status.

Except the relationship was a secret, and had already progressed beyond what some would consider the "norm". As much as Riju wished Link could be with her as the morning rays streaked across Gerudo Town, if they were discovered there'd be hell to pay. The same way if their…previous meetings were ever made public there'd be calls for Link's head on a pike, and his sword removed and tossed into a fire.

That still didn't stop her from imagining Link's sleeping form lying beside her, running her hands through his golden locks and whispering in his ear. Equally desirable would have been waking up to his smiling face or his arm wrapped around her waist. Riju could count the number of times they'd fallen asleep in each other's arms-three, but never in an actual bed.

"Alright, that's enough of that. There's work to be done this day, a lot of work." Throwing off the sheets and swinging her legs over the bed, Riju stretched her arms upward. Last night had been a relatively blissful and fulfilling night of sleep, a stark contrast to the night before. The time following the attack from the evening onward had been nothing short of chaos incarnate. Without a doubt, it was the most work Riju ever had to do, and she'd only gotten less than three hours of sleep once night fell. After that, she was right back at it for another day of crisis management.

In the two days since the attack, Gerudo Town had rebounded quite nicely. While there were still quite a number of buildings still in the midst of being rebuilt, it was nothing like the disaster she always feared would befall her people. Having the assistance of the neighboring lands, inside and outside of Hyrule, certainly helped with the cleanup.

Speaking of which, the citizens of Gerudo Town had quite a shock over the last two days. With a crisis of such magnitude there was no choice but to open up the town's boarders to all. Including men, especially men. Riju supposed she was lucky that the attack hadn't soured the opinions of her people. She could hardly imagine how difficult things would be if her fellow Gerudo fell into a man-hating frenzy as a result of the attack. Not to mention it would have made her eventual reveal of her relationship with Link all the more complicated and stressful. By Din's fire, was that the last thing they needed.

Her love was no doubt already fully dressed. While she may have been queen, Link was a "worker bee", meaning he had to be ready to move at the first crack of light. Briefly, she wondered if they ever took their relationship further how things would be. She had to bite her lip to bring herself back to reality. Right now, she couldn't think about her secret lover, there were bigger problems on the horizon. Though there had been an outpouring of support of the Gerudo, now it was time to do something about those who'd chosen to deal them such a wound. It was time for action.

A steely frown stared back at her as she began washing her cheeks and getting ready for a day that was going to be filled with teeth-gnashing debate. Rather or not Riju would succeed, hell, if she'd even know what she was doing was like a coin that had been tossed into the air. How and what it landed on was anyone's guess. All she could do was pray that the outcome would be beneficial for not just the Gerudo, but for all of Hyrule. That was her only wish.

Upon putting on her finest robes and jewelry, she looked herself over one more time in the mirror. "You can do this, you've been preparing for it for years, almost all of your life. You can do this. You can do this." Her arms and legs continued to jitter in spite of her attempts to keep them under control. It was a losing battle. "Link will be there." Though a part of her hated having to resort to it, another part was gleeful. Yesterday, they hadn't been able to see each other as their respective obligations had been monstrous. Riju had gone to sleep thinking of him, and she hoped he at least gave her a passing thought.

So long as she could even catch a glimpse of him, she believed she'd have to strength to stand tall. They'd done this routine enough to shoot each other passing and encouraging looks that went mostly unnoticed.

"Lady Riju?" Offered Buliara once she pushed the doors to her room open. "Are you ready? Do you require a moment longer to prepare yourself?"

Confidently, she met the eyes of her bodyguard and friend. "I'm as confident as I'm ever going to be. Besides, Buliara, this is one of those now-or-never types of things. Like my mother, aunt, and grandmother, I'm choosing now."

The swordswoman's lips ticked upward in a visible smile before affirmatively nodding her head. It wouldn't just be her secret lover giving her encouragement, but her loyal protector as well. And perhaps quite a few others. Her heart and head now hardened, she took the lead down the hallway, Buliara trailing behind her. Once they exited the palace Riju looked up and smiled to see the morning sun had truly begun to brighten up the sky. While not deeply devout, she did believe in signs. It was a new day, and that meant a chance to start over.

* * *

"Link, Link, she's coming, look sharp."

At times, his ability to focus so intensely on his thoughts was a blessing, at other times it was a curse. Zelda never called it the latter though, she was too respectful of him for that.

Since literally busting into Gerudo Town his sword at the ready, Link felt like he'd been on a power trip. Oddly enough, it only ended as he awoke this past morning. A meeting of the Gerudo's leaders, the Cornulian delegation, and Zelda herself had been arranged. Practically a treasure trove of potential hostages and targets, and one of them he shared a _deeply_ secret and personal relationship with. He could still remember the moment he'd laid eyes on Riju, covered in a mixture of blood, snoot, and dirt. Immediately, he'd looked to her eyes, worried they'd be as dead and lifeless as his fellow knights that wretched day a century ago. Thankfully, they sparkled with life and relief upon seeing him.

Even if he couldn't be with Riju, just knowing she was alright was enough for him.

He'd been inside of the Gerudo Tribe's meeting chambers once before, when a meeting wasn't in session. The outside of the building was amongst the largest of the stone structures within the town with a red-colored stone dome. Proudly on display was a tarp woven with the emblem of the Gerudo. Naturally, it had a twenty-four-hour guard, a guard that had been beefed up in light of recent events.

Normally, the chamber was occupied by seven people of note-the clan's six councilwomen and the queen herself. This day, that number had inflated thanks to the addition of Zelda, himself, Impa, and the Cornulian delegates, including their own prince and princess. Rather than the usual circle the elders sat in, the shape had been modified into a rough square. The queen's throne still sat at the head, but by her side, facing the rest of them, were the six councilwomen. Link knew their names and a tad bit about their personalities from his time with Riju.

Sitting closest to the throne on the left sat Lady Nisan. Unlike a number of other Gerudo, her hair was pitch-black, a "proud defect" in her genetics that had earned her the nickname, Nisan the Black. In spite of the color association, Link had come to learn she was by far one of the kindest and one of the most forward-thinking. Nisan had been the first to giving her approval for opening Gerudo Town up to males. Beside her sat a like-minded, if somewhat more temperamental councilwoman, Lady Maris.

The second oldest of the group, yet also amongst the wisest of the six. Her age showed in the countless paper-like wrinkles in her deeply tanned skin and primarily-now gray hair. Maris had just a toddler being told stories when he and his fellow Champions fell battling Calamity Ganon. Link was ninety-percent sure when he first arrived in Gerudo Town and presented himself, Maris knew him to be the same man from one hundred years ago. Her walking stick lay perfectly content in her lap. From what Riju had told him, she had no issue with using it as a bludgeon, or a pointer when someone aroused her anger. Sitting beside her was a person who reportedly tended to do that on a monthly basis.

In contrast to the previous two, Lady Sabah was more conservative, traditional one might say. She'd given some vocal protest to opening up Gerudo Town to men, but relented when it became obvious how wide-spread the damages were. Nowhere near as old as Maris, but old enough she could be a grandmother, in fact, Link was pretty sure the gray-eyed woman was a grandmother. Last he heard, her daughter had married a Zora. Arguably, that had been the catalyst for her mellowing out a little. That fact put her two or so steps above the councilwoman that would be sitting closest to Riju's right.

Lady Nisrina was a hard woman, and one who wasn't to be taken lightly. She was well-aware of the fact that men were able to sneak into the town disguised as woman, that was because she'd ventured into the outside world and seen what men were really like. It wasn't the opposite sex that had turned her off though, apparently, it was just the general chaos and contrasting attitudes of Hyrule's other races. The Gerudo were a warrior people, and Nisrina was a hard-edged woman who spoke bluntly of things she didn't like and of the few things she didn't like. For good reason, Riju lived in a state of nervousness in regards to the short-haired councilwoman.

Next in the lineup sat a one-eyed woman who Link both respected yet remained somewhat weary of. Lady Qadira was half-way between the two camps, a fact she knew of and at times used to her advantage. While Lady Nisrina and Maris had prior combat records, Qadira's made them look like they were nothing more than simple town guardsmen. She had fought monsters, bandits, and had several engagements with the Yiga Clan, one that left her an eye-short. An "old soldier" as some would have said, Qadira was both a voice of progressiveness and at times a traditionalist. Riju had told him she had a tendency to switch between the two depending on the mood. This day, he'd see such a personality in action.

That left the last councilwoman-Lady Yūlyu. In stark contrast to the Gerudo to her left, she'd never seen combat, but that didn't make her any less wise or respected than he fellow council members. She came up through the ways of the merchant and business. For intents and purposes, Riju had made her the tribe's chief economics expert. In fact, his girlfriend had told her that it was Yūlyu who'd tutored her in economics and business. Though those things were her main focus, she was fully capable of understanding the finer points of diplomacy and international politics. How well she understood them, he was about to find out.

Finally, the woman who the ornate golden throne belonged to, arrived. Link was happy to see Riju's face was brimming with health and confidence, signs that she'd gotten a good night's sleep. Their eyes briefly met, neither physically reacted, but internally they were happy. Riju strutted across the room to take her place upon the throne with Buliara standing beside her, the tip of her sword facing down, but always at the ready. Link himself had the Master Sword lying at his right side. Not counting Buliara herself, six Gerudo manned the room, and hidden in the shadows were four more. Though a warrior race by nature, even they understood the importance of stealth.

The Cornulia royals had four bodyguards standing behind them, one of them being Evan. He winked at him from across the room, silently telling him that the secret of what he'd seen the other day was safe. Link was glad he'd been able to struck up a light friendship with the archer. His lord and charge sat perfectly adjacent to Zelda, his eyes following Riju as she made her way across the room. Link could see something resembling admiration and even awe in his eyes up to the point where she sat down.

 _Please, for the love of the goddesses, let him take her seriously._

"Alright then, I'll get straight to the root of this discussion, what exactly happened to my realm two days ago?" Began the young redhead. Link recognized her tone as being similar to when he first presented himself to her. Not angry or accusing, merely curious and open to any answer that was to be given.

Instead of any of the Cornulians, it was one of her own that answered her. "What happened, Queen Riju, was these foreigners brought their problems to our doorstep."

To their credit, Zaltan and his countrymen didn't react, too much.

"Ah, good to see your abilities in diplomacy haven't slackened, Sabah." Snipped Qadira causing a small murmur of chuckles from her fellow council members. Riju merely rolled her eyes. "It goes without saying that this is certainly not how we planned on opening up Gerudo Town to outsiders, but it is the course things have taken."

"And how to prevent more incidents such as this from occurring." Echoed Maris. Her gaze fell upon Zaltan, and again showing his fortitude, he didn't fold under the old warrior's hardening gaze. "Prince Zaltan, with all due respect, one half of this problem lies with those of us of Hyrule, and the other half with your lot. I'm assuming Queen Zelda and Lady Impa brought you up to speed on the threat of the Yiga."

"Who I would like to say, have gone too far this time." Snarled Yūlyu.

On that, there was universally agreement from almost every race in Hyrule. This wasn't just a matter of them having gone too far, but also the traitorous clan showing they still had some teeth left to bite with. To show it, they'd hit arguably Hyrule's strongest faction with a surprise blow that no one had seen coming, and several were still struggling to wrap their minds around. Though having repelled the attack, anger and frustration burned in the hearts of several Gerudo. And one Hylian who thought he'd cut the head off the beast.

Riju kept her eyes and voice level when she spoke. "The Yiga Clan will be dealt with, but when we have an actual plan of action for doing so." Her green eyes met the serene blue of Zelda's, a silent nod followed. Though she was the ruler within the building, it was Zelda who was the "high queen" as some had taken to calling her. "For now, I believe it's best to focus on building up our defenses and recovering our losses. Do I have any arguments against?"

As she hoped, no one spoke out, though Riju did sense something off with Prince Zaltan. She hadn't sensed anything resembling negativity from him, but she'd felt his eyes on her seconds after she'd taken her proper sit. Internally bracing herself, Riju locked her green eyes with his. Her doing so turned some key to an unseen lock.

"Queen Riju, leader of the noble Gerudo," began the gold-eyed male before bowing his head. "It is an honor to meet you, and you have my deepest apologies for dragging my land's problems to your home and causing your people to suffer for it."

"As I said, what's done is done, there is no need to dwell on what has already happened." She waved off.

He looked up to her with a smile. "Be that as it may, we do owe you all a true apology. Consider this part of that apology."

Link's ears perked up at the snap of his fingers. Already, he had an idea of what was about to happen, but he forced his body not to react as the guards carried over a familiar-looking crate toward Riju. Buliara had her eyes focused on them as they came closer until stopping and lowering the chest. Zaltan rose and stepped forward, his hand moving to the container and opening it. Multi-colored light burst from the metal-lined crate. The hairs on his neck stood up on end and his trained senses registered the raw magical power the stones were emitting.

While he and Zelda knew what to expect, the Gerudo were completely stunned by the magical gems that lay within the box, Riju included. He couldn't help but smirk in amusement as his girlfriend's jaw dropped. Briefly, he wondered how long she was going to be mesmerized. Curiosity got the best of her resulting in the young monarch reaching out to touch one of the stones. Link heard the prince of Cornulia chuckle before waving his fingers upward. An azure-colored gem almost the size of his palm floated from the inside of the chest directly into Riju's startled hands.

"C-C-Cool!" Exclaimed the redhead before catching herself. Link felt himself twitch, either in amusement or in jealously. He went with the former. "I-I mean, cool as in this gem stones feels cool, like a soft drink in the afternoon. These are Cornulia's legendary magic stones that your people have mined and utilized for centuries?"

"Quite." He grinned. "We have already given our token of appreciation and good will to Queen Zelda back in Kakariko Village, but we had something…special in mind for presenting ourselves to you of the Gerudo Tribe."

Those words were like claps of thunder in a darkening sky. Yūlyu snorted, "A personal gift for us Gerudo? With all due respect, Prince Zaltan, this is starting to smell like bribery."

"Or an attempt to soften us up before making some outrageous request." Added Qadira narrowing her remaining eye at the gold-eyed male.

Ignoring the looks of his sister and chief magician, Zaltan pressed onward. Link at least gave him credit for having guts. "Well, truth be told, while we came here to negotiate with Queen Zelda, I wanted to pay a visit to you of the Gerudo Tribe. Needless to say, this isn't quite how I pictured things turning out. If we may move past that…I would like to put my country's magic stones into your tribe's market lines." Zaltan must have been expecting the collective gasps and in-takes that rung through the room. Riju wasn't among them as her gaze remained level with his. In her hand, she continued to hold the azure-colored gemstone. Her eyes were sharp as razors, a look that deeply clashed with her youthful image. "I am well aware that the Gerudo are Hyrule's chief miners, but with all due respect, you are the kingdom's greatest craftsmen."

"It's good to see you've done your homework, Prince Zaltan." Chuckled Nisan before her face became serious. "These magical stones, we have heard tale of their applications and usage. While they all sound quite appealing…such things can only come with a cost. What will it be?"

"You are unwilling to believe I am doing this out of the kindness of my heart and that of my kingdom's?"

Link fought back the urge to whistle. Either Zaltan was incredibly brave, or incredibly stupid.

Following the short breath he took, he was leaning toward brave. Clearly, he knew he was heading into deep, dangerous waters. It was time to see if he'd packed accordingly. "As I'm sure you're aware, our kingdom has been hit by internal strife, strife that has unfortunately spilled over to your realm. I would like it if we could move past it, using your help. For you see, Lady Riju, once upon a time we Cornulians and you Gerudo did have trading relationships."

"Yes," answered the redheaded queen. "Almost one hundred and five years ago, before the Calamity Ganon struck. Though my history is a bit hazy, I seem to recall your kingdom was going through internal strife as far back then as well?"

Zaltan nodded his head, a look of displease written on his face. Link could tell when one was remembering unwanted memories, as he could personally attest to. "Sadly, you are correct. It was the beginning, the first sign of some future domestic strife. As a result of it, our two sides were forced to suspend trading, and then as you said, the mess with Calamity Ganon happened. What I'm not sure you know of, is that buried somewhere within your desert lies a number of gems similar to this."

"WHAT?!"

It was hard to tell who'd spoken the word first, or who was the loudest. Even Link himself let loose a gasp upon hearing the unexpected revelation. While his curiosity had been peaked, Riju was who he remained concerned about. She was, naturally, shocked into silence. Even Buliara could do nothing but stand there with her mouth agape. He looked to the councilwomen, silently examining each of their faces. Though shocked, they were in various levels. The one looking the least bit surprised was Qadira and Nisirina. Link wasn't too surprised that they were the outliers. The first was a former soldier while the second made economics her business and forte.

After she'd recovered herself, Riju managed to find the words to speak. "H-How, I-I mean, p-please, Prince Zaltan, this is going to require some more explanation."

"I was expecting that, and I don't blame you for being a bit confused. Believe me, we just learned of this little over a week ago. You see, over a century ago, our kingdom was in negotiations to exchange resources and material. One such exchange involved…high-class magic stones we can say, being transported through the Gerudo Desert. The caravan party splint when it was revolved one half had a different destination in mind for the gems. A sandstorm came along as the two groups were killing each other and-"

"The caravan was lost." Riju deduced. Odds were, she'd seen the events play out in her head. There wasn't a need to ask why no search parties had been dispatched to look for the contents, Vah Naboris had ensured that _no one_ could safely explore the Gerudo Desert for any longer than half an hour at best. And that was saying nothing of the shifting sandstorms, an item lost could be buried under ten feet of sand by nightfall, to say nothing of a hundred years. _Somehow, I have a feeling that somewhere out there, there's a bunch of skeletons. Last remains of fools who'd ventured into the desert looking for this "lost treasure"._ Riju had to admit, none of it really surprised her. Tall tales aside, her people's homeland was home to a host of ancient treasures and artifacts that could either fetch a pretty penny or provide the basis for a scientific revolution. Or in the case of some, provide the means needed for toppling an empire.

She wasn't alone in following that line of thought. "So, is that it? You fear now that we no longer have the Calamity Ganon or Vah Naboris to fear we may come across this buried treasure and unearth it? Or perhaps the Yiga may get to it first?"

"Respectfully, Councilwoman Sabah, I fear they may already be on the path to doing so." Zaltan calmly answered back. "They have made an alliance with our nation's rebels and degenerates, some of whom know the story of the lost caravan. Were they to find it first, well, I fear it could be worse than you could imagine."

"Now, hold on a moment." Interjected Nisirina. "A few magical stones can cause trouble, but I believe you might be blowing this a bit out of proportions. We've dealt with far worse than this."

Link sensed a jolt run through the foreigners. All the hairs on his neck stood up on end and fingers instinctively tightened. He had no idea what was coming, but Link predicted it was going to impact with the force of a bomb blast. Briefly glancing to the side, he found Zelda had gotten a similar feeling. They looked ahead to Riju, to Link's relief, and dread, he saw she held a similar expression. Everything in their respective guts were telling them that the bomb was about to drop. The only question was how powerful the blast would be.

Simon shot the prince a sideways glance that didn't go unnoticed. The male Hylian could pick up bits of the silent conversation-an attempt to let the magic-user speak instead of the prince. Zaltan merely shook his head, telling his attendant that he would be the one to do so.

"Queen Riju, Gerudo Council," began the gold-eyed young man. His mouth was a thin straight-line, but Link spotted his lips tick upwards as if he were fighting back a smirk or a smile. Link suddenly realized the coming bomb drop may very be something completely different from what he'd been expecting. "How exactly would you all react…if I told you that by now, at this very moment, there may just be an entire mine of magical stones somewhere in your domain? That in the hundred years since the stones were lost, their magical energy has spread through the desert turning ordinary desert rocks into magical minerals? Minerals that can be harvested and mined?"

" _WHAT?!"_

Dozens of voices, one feeling uniting them all. There was a good chance that the combined shout was heard throughout the entire town.

"A magical mine?!"

"Beneath our desert!"

"Tell us where it is, now! It belongs to us!"

"Um, don't you mean it belongs to Hyrule?" Inquired Link, momentarily having regained his wit. His blue eyes drifted toward Riju; not surprisingly, her mouth hung open in shock. It was going to take some time for her to regain her composure, a statement that went for almost everyone else in the meeting chamber.

There were several things that could have been running through the young Gerudo's mind. Arguably, the most important matter was likely the revelation that somewhere in her domain was a treasure trove of lost goods that had turned into a literal magical goldmine. Riju's eyes dilated as her mind raced to put the picture together-an underground cavern filled to the brim with stones containing pure magical energy. Having had little over a century to grow and condense, the mine must have become quite sizable.

As with all things, the awe quickly gave way to fear. Councilwoman Qadira leveled a critical gaze at the young royal. Again, he didn't bristle under her heavy glare. "Over time, certain magical stones can release radiation that can affect nearby material turning them into magical stones and such as well. The time frame between now and the caravan's loss is certainly enough time for a mine to form. If you were aware of such knowledge…why share it with us?"

Ordinarily, Zaltan's smile would have been enough to have him either thrown out or executed on the spot. "Respectfully, there were some in our kingdom who advocated for such action. Technically speaking, the magical stones are the property of the Cornulia Kingdom so a vocal portion of my court argued for sending an excavation team to locate the site and retrieve them. I'm sure you can all imagine the…outcome of following such a road, especially without giving any warning to the Gerudo Tribe or Hyrule at large."

Though his words had been spoken softly, the underlying implications were clear as day.

Councilwoman Sabah was quick to pick up it, pounce on it actually. "You could mine the stones, station a protective guard around the sight. Afterward, with your newly gained resources, spearhead an invasion into Hyrule…starting with _us_." The last word had an edge to it, like a freshly sharpened blade slicing through an enemy.

Naturally, the Cornulian delegation sweat-dropped, all save for the prince.

It'd taken a little bit of time, but the Gerudo Queen regained her composure. As she listened to the chatter around her, Riju realized she had to step in before relationships began to sour. The fact that technically Zelda stood above her was momentarily forgotten about. "Then we owe you a debt, Prince Zaltan. You could have easily taken this information and used it to dominate us and the rest of Hyrule. Or try to," she smirked. "We Gerudo would not have gone down so easily." There was a murmur of approval and chuckles from the Gerudo in the room, including the guards. In turn, a few of the Cornulians shifted uncomfortably, perhaps because they knew the young ruler was right. "All that said…this information is…it is indeed a game-changer as some would say. However, I cannot reach an outcome regarding all of this on my own."

Getting the signal, the Queen of Hyrule straightened up. "Prince Zaltan, as previously said, this information is rather…it will take some time to digest. We of Hyrule will have to convey amongst ourselves before we can give you a clear answer on how to proceed."

"But of course." Noted Zaltan. "Believe me, I was well aware of the implications this revelation would have once they came to light. One thing though, as you're probably aware-"

"Yiga know about the lost caravan…and the magical mine as well." He didn't mean to speak out, but Link hadn't been able to suppress his thoughts, and his fears. Normally, he did his best to look as calm and placated as possible. Being a warrior, matters of politics was beyond him, but the rebuilding had forced his hand a few times. This was looking like it was going to be one of them. "As we speak, the Yiga and the rebels are out there, searching for the mine."

Though unwanted, he'd done the job in dropping the second bomb. And as fate would have it, the blast was more destructive than the last. Once more, chatter broke out amongst the occupants of the chamber, fear and anger lacing every word. Link could understand their sentiments as the thought of the Yiga, lunatics and murderers now allied with foreigners was a bad enough cocktail. Throw in a power that could shatter Hyrule's fragile stability and one could practically feel disaster's bony fingers wrapping around their neck. Link certainly did. His teeth visibly gnashed and his fingers curled against his pant leg. A soft hand fell onto his knuckles. Momentarily shocked, he glanced to the side finding blue eyes doing their best to calm him down. Zelda was just as nervous and frightened as he was, perhaps more so given as Queen of Hyrule, all of this ultimately fell on _her_ head.

Riju had her own weights to bear, but seeing her Hylian counterpart comfort _her_ boyfriend certainly didn't make things easier. Regardless, she was going to push on ahead. "All of this…can and will be discussed in depth latter on, arguably when Gerudo Town has more solidly recovered. We have a few Yiga in custody and are doing our best to get them to talk of their plans and dealings. Once they confess, we shall reconvene to discuss matters."

"That sounds like an ideal solution." Nodded Zaltan, shooting a quick glance toward Zelda. She caught the sight and quietly nodded in agreement.

"Before we end this meeting, I have a single question I would like answered." Spoke up Councilwoman Yūlyu. Once all eyes were on her, she pressed onward. Her eyes were focused squarely on the young prince. "Prince Zaltan, regarding the lost caravan, do you or any of your court know it's _actual_ location?"

In spite of being a perfectly fair, and even obvious question, no one had dared to voice it. Perhaps it was because there was already enough on everyone's minds. Now that it was out there everyone wanted an answer. For the one they got would play a critical part in how their thoughts progressed for the rest of the day. Or the week to be more precise.

Carefully, Link observed Zaltan's face become as passive as stone. He didn't sense any trickery or deceit on his part, but that didn't mean he should let his guard down. As his mind gave the scenario some thought he realized he probably should have spoke up sooner. _For all we know, this could turn into a race, a very dangerous race where the prize is power._ He hated those kinds of races, especially since the stakes were often quite high and rose over time. _Just how big is this magically mine? What was lost over a hundred years ago before Calamity Ganon struck? If it's possible, could the magical stones be used to augment the Guardians?_ Elemental weapons and Guardian Weapons were bad enough, but combine them and Link was sure without a doubt would be a nightmare. Surely, the Yiga knew the exact same because they would be facing down the same terror if Hyrule found the stash first.

"Regrettably, we do not." The axe fell. "In spite of our attempts, scrying and divining for the caravan's location proved rather difficult. I do believe the Divine Beast interfered with our efforts. Now…well, any further attempts I believe should be done with Hyrule leading the way."

Several mutter that's how it should have been, and Link somewhat agreed with them.

"Then what should we do about the Yiga?" Spoke up Nisan. "If we do not know the location of the caravan then should we assume they do not know it as well?"

Finally, the Cornulian magician decided to voice his thoughts. "That would be an appropriate assumption, but not one we should place all of our hopes on. As we previously said, the rebels know of the lost caravan as well, and no doubt they're searching for it as well. Surely the Yiga have been promised their fair share of the spoils."

"Which itself could work to our advantage. Who would trust traitors?" Baited Councilwoman Sabah.

"True, but they've allied with men and women who've been branded as rebels and traitors." Tempered Maris, shooting her fellow councilwoman a cautious stare. "Amongst such people, loyalty will not rank high."

"Regardless, the alliance will likely only crumble when the treasure's within their grasp. That isn't a risk we should be willing to take." Noted Qadira. "By that time, the damage will be done, and I fear it will be too great for us to recover from. For that reason, I'm going to put this out there now-I suggest we put a party together to locate and find the missing caravan before our enemies discover it."

"Quite a good idea, except as Prince Zaltan stated, its location is lost." Snipped Sabah.

"With all due respect, honored council," began Simon looking between the six elders. "While its _exact_ location is unknown, we can at least estimate where it could be. We still possess records regarding where the caravan was last seen and where it possibly could have gone down."

"And by combing such records with the abilities of the Sheikah, we may be able to locate it as well." Zelda deduced, offering the brightest smile anyone had seen.

"…Yes, but I do believe one thing is being missed." Mused Councilwoman Nisrina giving all members of the chamber an astute glance.

"Every piece of information we have, we can only assume the Yiga and their allies have as well." Riju clarified filling a stone drop in her stomach. It seemed every ray of hope they found had a dark cloud moving in on it. "Quite a problem."

"Not completely," As he rarely spoke in such meetings, those times Link voiced his opinion many usually listened. Riju especially paid her secret lover an open ear. " _We_ have the tech experts at the Hateno Tech Lab, so I'd say we've got a slight edge. We'll give them some stones to analyze them and categorize their signature. Launch a couple of drones into the skies and have them report back. Once the deed's done, I'll personally lead the expedition to recapture them. Anything gets in our way I cut it or them down."

Expected murmuring broke out amongst the crowd, some of it good and some not-so-good. The person who Link focused on the most was the woman on the throne. Riju's face was a mixture of awe, admiration, and worry. Scratch that, great worry. He kicked himself for putting her through such turmoil when she already had enough to shoulder. Link made a mental note to make it up to her somehow.

"A direct yet well-thought out plan. I must say, the more I see of you, the more you live up to your legend." Sounded Zaltan pulling the Hero of the Wild out of his thoughts. "I'll throw my support behind such a plan. On my word, I'll ensure you have the finest warriors available to help you complete the task. Quite a bit will be at stake."

 _When isn't there a lot at stake?_ Thought the last Champion as more talking and suggestions broke loose from the councilwomen, diplomats, and even amongst the guards. It's not like they were mindless sentries, everything being discussed would likely affect them too. Hell, for all he knew some of them might end up venturing out into the desert with him.

Somehow, the thought didn't make Link feel any better. It finally dawned on him he'd practically made himself the leader of the soon-to-be expedition. Instead of joy or even excitement all he felt was dread, dread and a grasping sense of fear.

* * *

 _ **Late Evening…**_

"Are you angry with me?"

The question honestly came as a major shock to her. Looking at Link's face, normally upbeat and bright, now weighed down by sorrow and unease. It was a reversal as she'd come to their secret meeting place, she was the one frowning.

"Why should I be angry with you, Link?" Her hand caressed his cheek giving him reason to meet her eyes. Riju hated when he got like this. "You spoke your mind and actually brought up some good points." Pausing, her mind replayed the meeting in more accurate detail. "You did…what any knight should have done, supported his lady."

Admittedly, Link hadn't exactly been much of a reader. That said, he had poked his head into a book every now and then, sometimes for learning's sake and sometimes for his own entertainment. Those times he'd found himself drifting through several genres, one of them being romance. He liked to think Mipha was the reason he was ever able to get through a romance novel. In time, he found himself living something of a fairy-tale, him and her, a princess. Sadly, the story had no happy ending, a fact he still wrestled with almost every other day. Now, here he was, living yet another fairy tale. Link wanted to avoid this story ending the same way his last one did, but in doing so he was running into new roadblocks. Ones that he and his Zora lover hadn't had to confront.

The stony hills that overlooked Gerudo Town made for a good getaway. Riju said her ancestors had used them whenever they needed time to themselves to sit upon their thoughts in the wide-open. Stretched out before them lay the great expanse of red and brown that made up the Gerudo Desert. In Riju's case, she too used the hill top for contemplation…and secret meetings with her boyfriend.

Smiling, she moved her hand from his cheek down to his hand. First, there was a light squeeze, "Hey, I may be a royal, but I know how to share." A small smirk graced his lips seconds before he leaned forward. Riju gave his tongue a small opening which he eagerly rushed through. Sparks traced across her as she felt Link's arms wrap around her lean waist and pull her in close. Truthfully, she hadn't felt this safe and secure since he'd rescued her little more than two days before. Riju didn't believe herself to be too much of a romanticist, but the feeling she got whenever she was in Link's arms, it was…it gave her hope.

"I wish I could be at your side." Whispered the Hylian as he pulled back to glance into her emerald-green eyes.

"You're close enough, and besides, your first duty needs to be the _real_ queen." She coolly answered back before giving his lips a quick kiss. "Link, I love you, but we both know if push comes to shove, you have a duty to protect and guide Zelda. She's the one who's holding all of this, all of us together. When we're in public, focus on her, please."

It was statements like that which reminded Link of the Gerudo Champion he'd served with. Though he still dreaded to think how Urbosa would have reacted to him courting her great niece, but he was sure she'd be reminding him of his originally oath. The oath he'd sworn to uphold up to his eventual and likely death. "I will, but when we're alone…" He let the thought hang in the air, a silent promise between them. Riju followed up on it by initiating the next kiss. Link submitted to her drive by holding her tight as he fell onto his backside. Somewhat embarrassingly, he male sword was beginning to poke through his pants.

"I knew the minute the word 'treasure' was mentioned, you were going to be heading out." Stated the redhead pulling away with little more than a few inches separating them. A mixture of worry and want danced in her eyes. "Regrettably, you're the only person in all of Hyrule capable of such a task."

"Hey, it's not like it'll be the first time I played around in your backyard." Mused the blond Hylian with amusement. "I'll have your permission of course."

Laughing, the young monarch ran a finger along his jawline to the base of his neck. "While that sounds grand, what I would like is insurance you'll return alive-treasure or no treasure. I will not go down as the Gerudo Queen who lost Hyrule's last remaining Champion, or write of my loss in diary entries to be given away to my successors." Her hand fell over his heart. Fingers sprayed out she felt the steady beat beneath her palm; such a soothing sound she'd listen to dozens of times before. "Link, whatever's out there…I…I have no doubt that you are a capable warrior, but I…"

The hero's own hand fell over hers. "I can take it, and if not, I'll pull back and I promise you, I'll keep myself out of trouble."

At that, Riju laughed. "Strange, I was under the impression trouble seemed to find you."

"Comes with being a hero, pretty big burden." Grinned back the Hylian warrior.

"Speaking of big," Wearing an all-too-familiar smile, Riju raised and lowered her hips causing her nether regions to brush up against Link's loins. The response was nothing short of heart-racing. "It's dawned on me I've yet to properly reward you for saving my life." As he was too enthralled with her actions, the blue-eyed male failed to notice her hand moving from his chest to his shoulder. She prided herself in catching the great and mighty hero off-guard and leaving him helpless beneath her.

"R-R-Riju?" Squeaked Link as he struggled to move his body to no avail.

All he got was a luxurious grin that set his blood ablaze. She moved her fingers downward, like a predator licking its lips before a meal. Link could hardly wait for the feasting to begin. His trained, pointy ears listened to her increasingly heavy breathing as she finally found the waistband of his pants. In a single stroke of fingers, she seemingly undid his pants and pushed them and his undergarments down enough for his cock to poke out. It stood at full attention, basking in the warm desert.

And a moment later, it was being pleasured by the incredibly skilled hands of the chief of the Gerudo. While in reality had only been a couple of weeks since they'd made love to one another, Link felt like months bordering on a year had passed. He'd truly missed his redhead Gerudo making him feel like the only man in the world. It didn't even matter that they were in the wide-open. They'd first taken each other in a cave far from the peering eyes of others. Strangely, Link had found Riju liked being taken in…odd places, practically stopping at the line in admitting she liked public sex. At heart, he knew it was fueled by the dark joy that came with them potentially getting caught. Even up here, in a sacred place for Gerudo chieftains they weren't completely safe.

In spite of that, Riju worked her fingers on his penis making Link feel like he was falling away and drifting on a blanket of clouds. Caressing his skin was a gentle breeze that blew away the day's gathered anxiety. Link let himself go completely, his muscles gradually unwinding.

The Gerudo beauty in-between his legs was privy to it all, and it made her heart dance in excitement and joy. As before, they were no longer hero and queen, warrior and monarch, but simply two people expressing their love for each other. Riju had longed to slip back into this state since he arrived out of the blue to rescue her. Finally, after so long she had her chance, and she was going to take it.

"R-R-Riju…" Groaned the youthfully Champion as her painted lips kissed his member. "I-I…I…"

"You've been waiting for this, haven't you?" Whispered the redhead giving her love a lustful stare. "Waiting for me to take your big, strong cock into my mouth and suck it dry, haven't you? Well, worry not, my hero. I too have had nights dreaming of having you all to myself. Now that I do, I'm sure you can imagine what comes next." There were times during their get-togethers where Link questioned if his girlfriend had inherited some sort of seductive charm from her ancestors or if she was just a borne-natural.

This was one of the times he didn't spend too much time dwelling on the question. Chuckling, he completely laid back and let Riju continue to pepper his cock with soft and teasing kisses.

Her tongue is what set all his nerves ablaze, it always was. The way she suckled slathered his member then worshipped it with her hands, as if it were some sort of divine idol. Riju's worshipping reached a new level when she finally took his tip into her mouth. It was a good thing the hilltop was deserted and voices were drowned out by the wind. If not, then Link was sure he'd just alerted over half of the Gerudo town. As Riju continued to blow him, a tiny voice told Link that may just end up being what happened.

The assault of her tongue was merciless, quickly demolishing all of his defenses in a few short licks. Link was powerless to stop her, nor did he even try to. Moving at gale-like speed were her scented lips, marking his dick for the first time in weeks. Fire raced his body before gathering near his hips. Before Link knew it, he was sitting upright, his left hand fastened to Riju's head. Biting his lips, he rocked his hips forward; she moaned in joy at the act. He did it again, and again, and again.

 _I'm getting blown by the Queen of the Gerudo, on a hilltop overlooking her very domain._ Though the blond with a lazily smile. Of all the things that could have happened to him, this was most certainly not one of them. Link had a reason to be grateful for surprises, very grateful.

"R-RIJU!"

She grinned as his cock erupted into a white explosion. Memories of their first time in the cave always lingered in her mind, how unprepared she was. Not anymore, whenever her Hylian love climaxed, Riju did her best to make sure she was ready. After all, she couldn't let such a delicious substance such as his cum go to waste, could she?

Having deepthroated him, Link's flooded her oral cavern and ran straight down her throat. Riju felt her pussy buzz with bliss and excitement. Briefly, she flirted with discarding her clothing and mounting Link then and there. The Gerudo monarch longed to feel his cock inside of her in the most intimate way possible. Alas, she knew things hadn't quite settled down enough for that yet. She would contend herself with scuffing down as much of his manly nectar as possible.

Heavy panting left the Hylian's lips as he came down from his orgasm. Link knew better than to look toward Riju, if he did then there was a very real fear he'd lose control and take her. In a few minutes she was do back in her palace and he had to get back to Zelda's side. What he could do was run his hands through her always mesmerizing crimson strands. He sighed in deep bliss when he felt her lips finally leave his member, an audible pop in his ears. Eyes closed, he quietly listened to the sound of her lapping up his juices.

High above his head, the once blue sky was beginning to darken. The beginning to the end of yet another long and eventful day. Still, Link liked to believe it was one that had been well-spent. Finally, he dared to gaze downward. What met his eyes was Riju cleaning herself up, licking up the white residue from her chin and cheeks. By chance, her eyes met his; a seductive yet reassuring smile greeted him. The day had definitely been well-spent.

"You better get going. Can't be seen descending from this hilltop or else things will take yet another unexpected turn, one I don't think my people are ready for." Though men had been accepted, somewhat begrudgingly, they were expressly forbidden from entering certain areas. This hilltop was one of them and not even Link was exempt from that rule without an entire council meeting approving it. "See you…around I guess."

Link laughed as he fixed up his pants and readied to sail the winds. Before doing so, he took a step forward to place a kiss against her lips. "You can see me whenever you want, Riju. If you ever need me, all you have to do is call." Scandalous, but scandal had somewhat come to define their relationship. The Hylian and Gerudo liked to believe it added some flavor to it.

"Just keep yourself out of trouble." Riju laughed watching him spring toward the edge, then leap into the open air. His paraglider emerged a second later, the desert winds carrying it and him off into the reddish-brown expanse. Link could find his way backside and would have an easy lie for where he had bee. Riju would have something similar. Rather than begin her journey downward, she continued to gaze outward toward the horizon. "Somewhere out there is a lost treasure…heh, right in my own backyard." Rather than a boring reign, it appeared she was going to be presiding over quite a chaotic time in her people's history, and Hyrule's at large.

Knowledge of the tie-rope in mind, she started back, descending a flight of stairs carved out into the hilltop. She'd cleaned off all of Link's cum down to the tiniest drops ensuring no one would be able to notice anything out of the ordinary.

Buliara was waiting for her at the base of the hilltop, and her expression was one of grave seriousness.

"What happened?" Riju immediately questioned filling her heartbeat quicken.

"Milady, one of the prisoners we captured during the attack…he has confessed." Answered the sword-wielding older woman looking her charge square-in-the eye.

"Take me to the prison." Immediately snapped the green-eyed chieftain. "Now."

It certainly seemed her reign was going to be anything but dull and uninteresting.

* * *

 **Again, I'm sorry for the long wait in getting this chapter up. Between all the things in my life I sort of lost track of time and my work on this story crawled to a snail's pace. Hopefully no more of that. I'm glad I was able to work in a miniature lemon towards the end to break the tension; don't worry, there will be more in the future with our lovebirds being able to take their time so to speak. In the meantime, there's treasure in the desert and the race is on to see who'll get there first. The race picks up next chapter!**


	5. Chapter 5-Basking in the Light

**Thankfully, I had enough free time to get this chapter out before the end of the month so please enjoy!**

 **I do not own anything.**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 5-Basking in the Light**_

Dreams and nightmares. Two sides of the same coin. Link had lost count of how many times he'd flipped the coin, and had it come up the latter instead of the former. Dark as it may have sounded, he was somewhat happy for the nightmares; he felt like they were nothing less than what he deserved for his failure. The failure to save the woman he loved, to save his comrades, his home, and his family. After so much time and so much training, he blew it all. In the depths of Link's soul, a part of him truly believed reliving the terror over and over again was his fate. But it wasn't to be. Dreams steadily began to come more frequently, and after a special evening in a cave, nightmares became a rare thing.

Riju told him there was no sin he'd committed to have his dreams plagued with recreations of his failures. Either she held some hidden power or the powers of the universe agreed. After their relationship began, he once more saw the return of more peaceful dreams. More often than not they involved the red-headed Gerudo queen.

On the downside, the more he dreamt about her, the more he wished when he awoke she was by his side. Regrettably, reality couldn't quite work out that way. They still had so many barriers they had to cross before such a thing could even begin to become possible. Sighing, the Hylian rose, his mouth stretching open in a yawn. He'd had one such dream the night before, perhaps as a result of the…alone time he and Riju had been able to carve out for themselves. How he hadn't…awoken in the middle of the night with a full mast due to memories was a mystery, a bit of a blessing. As far as he was concerned, he was still walking in thin ice.

After having opened its walls to men, Gerudo Town had undergone a rapid metamorphosis in the span of just a few days. Whereas before disguised men walked the streets with tighten chests, they were no free to do so with their heads held somewhat high. Quite a few of them had a Gerudo female at their side, either as a romantic other or a newfound friend or something of the like. It was quite a transformation.

Stepping out over to the window, he took note of the early morning sun shining upon the desert city. Only a few days ago Gerudo Town had been on the verge of becoming a warzone, but now it was looking brand new, and in some ways, better than new. Leaning against the edge, he opened up his trained ears to the sounds of town life beginning. At one point, when he first entered Gerudo Town and stopped to just _listen_ he'd felt some of his old memories resonate. He remembered bits of the capital city over which stood Hyrule Castle. It was a place timing with life. Now, the honor once held by the capital city belonged to Gerudo Town.

He'd done his part in defending the blooming flower, and enjoyed its most sacred gifts. He blushed at the potential image of Riju awakening from her own slumber. Her personally thought she had a cute bedhead even though she tried so hard to be regal.

"Enjoying the sight?"

There were a wide number of conclusions one could have drawn from having the former princess, now queen of Hyrule in their room. It certainly would have been caused for scandal. Link, on the other hand, took it all in strides. His relationship with Zelda was the root of much speculation, gossip that ran rampant. Those in their inner circle knew the truth-it was only friendship, that's all it would ever be. Zelda knew that in her heart as did Link. That's why he barely reacted to her having entered his room without knocking. It's why he was somewhat happy she joined him by the window.

"I can't begin to tell you how scared I was when we learned Gerudo Town was a target as well." Answered the male blond. "Even now, almost five days later I…pretty shameful, huh?"

A hand fell upon his shoulder and a smile blossomed on the face of the blue-eyed queen. "You and me both. Link, after everything we've been through, I'm afraid we've become people who can't help but think the worse when something happens. It's…a very painful and dreary way to live, but one we must for the sake of others." Spoken like a true queen, one with a heart that had been tested by sorrow. Indeed, it was a heavy burden, yet it was one that Zelda had trained her whole life to bear. If it spared the lives of her people then she'd gladly carry it. "Thinking of going out into town?"

"Are you thinking of hitting the town?" Coolly shot back the Champion. "You've worked pretty hard the last couple of days and diplomatic relationships are pretty much on good standing."

Zelda responded to his grin with a soft giggle. "Well, I won't deny that. Sooner or later we will have to return to Kakariko Village, but before then I'd like to…enjoy our time here. Wouldn't you do the same with or without me?"

Thankfully, Link had learned to curb his reactions to her stares well. Though he and Riju knew they were going to have to tell Zelda of their relationship, most likely her before others, they'd continuously held off. Link in particular had racked his brain around how to break the news to her. Now didn't seem quite like the best time to break the news to her either. _"Oh, yeah, the Gerudo have just recovered from a surprise attack and there's buried treasure somewhere out in the desert. By the way, I'm sleeping with Riju, Queen of the Gerudo? Yeah, her, we've been together for going on a year! Isn't that great?"_ He had to fight to keep his lips from ticking upward at the flabbergasted expression he'd get from dropping that bombshell. And what a shell it would be.

Zelda took his long silence as something of an answer onto itself. "Well, if you wish to go out, please do so. Riju and the Gerudo Council have given me something of a royal guard of my own while we're staying here."

Link didn't even try to fight back his snickering. "You're giving me permission to go out? Why thank you, mom! You have no idea how excited that makes me feel!"

Laughing, she turned to fully face him with her arms crossed. It seemed she was taking his joke all the way. "Just know that I'm letting you out with _rules_!" His face immediately fell, playfully of course. Perhaps her attitude was bringing some old familial memories back. "First off, you must be back by ten o'clock, and you must stay out of trouble while you're out. The last thing we need is another international incident, less so involving you, the Hero of the of the Wild"

"You make it sound like I'm going to go out and do something stupid. Need I remind you I've been here multiple times? Often unsupervised?"

"Don't forget dressed in woman's clothing." Remarked the female monarch causing the adventurer's face to fault. He should have figured she was going to sucker punch him with that one. Zelda's expression went from joking to cautionary to show she was hoping he was actually listening to her words. "Link, I'm just asking you to please, be careful. What the Yiga did might as well be a declaration of war, not to mention there are some who still are ill at ease with men being allowed into Gerudo Town. Not to mention whenever an incident like this happens, you always have some who just wish to stir up trouble for its own ends. I don't mean to offend you, but you are a prime target for such disturbances."

"Ain't that ironic though?" He laughed in a way that made Zelda's heart tremble. Both of them had recovered enough memories to recall their earlier days, when he'd first come to the royal court and she'd just begun to learn about him. The swordsman was such a shy soul, barely speaking and at times only saying one word or two for a whole day, or at least as far as anyone saw or heard. Now here he was, able to make such casual conversation and such as if it were no trouble at all. They could each think of a handful of people who would have been proud of his "progress", alas, those people were long gone. "I'm not gonna deny the truth of your words, you're right. This is a…shaky time for everyone, but I…I don't want to waste it hiding away like some rat from a house cat. It's not who I want to be, not anymore. Whenever I go out, I know to be careful, trust me, I learned that lesson hard after I watched Kohga plummet to the bottom of his own damn pit."

"You know, I still find that one a tad hard to believe." Offered the female blonde with a turned head. "The head of the Yiga Clan couldn't possibly have been so…lackluster."

Shooting her a sideways grin, Link said, "Oh, I don't know if lackluster is the word I'd use. He was…formidable, in his own way. But, in the end, nothing that I couldn't handle. I actually wish I recorded the battle so I could show you and Riju, you guys would have been laughing your guts out."

"Perhaps it's better this way though," chirped the blonde-haired queen. "She has to go by your word of mouth, and I'm sure we both know where that'll lead."

In spite of his previous calm, Link felt a sharp jolt of panic race through him. Somehow, he managed to keep it from manifesting on his face, or becoming too evident. Far in the corners of his mind, thoughts began to race and dormant fears started clawing their way back to the surface. As quietly as he could, he attempted to shove them back down.

"Anyways, go out and enjoy yourself while we're here." Zelda spoke up. "I only ask that you please remember your station and the responsibilities that come with it. Also, please be careful out there."

He could have responded with a sarcastic quip, but Link respected Zelda too much for that. She'd just laid herself emotionally bare, and her words held some real truths to them. Turning to face her, he reached out to place a calming hand on her shoulder. "I promise, I'll watch myself, but you have to do the same. I hear so much as one word and you have my word I'll be there."

Zelda placed her hand atop of his and smiled back at him. They were both walking on thin ice, but they weren't alone. That fact always seemed to bring them just a bit of comfort to get through the day's anxieties.

* * *

 _ **Gerudo Town, Mid-Morning…**_

"Always better together than apart," that had been the rule ingrained into Link during his training as a soldier in the Hyrule army and as a member of the Champions of Hyrule. Sadly, things had gone downhill before he could truly see the motto carried out. After awakening from his hundred-year slumber though, he got a better showing of it, and even learned the lessons for himself. It seemed it was the Gerudo's turn.

Everywhere he looked reconstruction was entering what could only be described as its final stages. Buildings that were still salvageable were either well on their way to looking brand new or at least half-way there. Others that were beyond help had been torn down with the area closed off for construction that was well underway. No street was anywhere close to being empty as several were going about their business as the day began. For the first time in centuries, it was just all Gerudo. Hylians and Cornulians and even a few Gorons. In regards to the Gorons, it wasn't that new a phenome since the rocky race has always been openly welcomed in Gerudo Town. It had been something of a source of envy for others who were forced to dress in ridiculous disguises to get by. Link had been one of those. A single glance and it was clear that some were enjoying the new freedom.

The Gerudo were reacting to things with a vast amount of interest, and in some cases restraint. It wasn't strange to see multiple Gerudo crowding around a single man, often trying to show off for the sake of the desert-dwelling women. Link was amused, as were several other wiser or clear-minded visitors. Personally, Link was predicting that there was going to be a few broken noses, punched out teeth, and swollen cheeks, at best. So far, he hadn't heard any truly horrifying stories from the intergender and international interactions. He could only pray that good luck held out.

Riju had told him of the bar she'd be at when the attack happened. Link had visited it more than a few times, gradually it had become one of his favorite places to stop by whenever he was in town. This was the first time he could stand before _Sunbeam Torrent_ as himself, as a full-blooded male and not have to worry about being thrown out on threat of a spear or sword. The feeling felt rather good.

"Welcome-e-eh! L-L-L-Lord Link! M-Master Link! Sir Link!"

All three of his titles in one go, the Hylian supposed that was some sort of record; and he thought Paya could get nervous. Any hope for a peaceful morning meal was shattered as practically all the attention in the bar turned to him. Suddenly, going in his disguise didn't seem so bad. Having some experience, he took it all with a straight face as Gerudo, Gorons, and Hylians all looked to him as if he were some divine being having descended from the heavens. As far as some of them were concerned, he might as well be. Rather than emboldened or amused, it made him feel a bit uncomfortable.

He looked to the waitress that had greeted him upon coming in. She was perhaps just a year or two older than him, or how he appeared with hair the color of dark wine. Her copper-colored eyes widen in surprise and swerved between Link and those behind the counter, who were just as stunned as her. "Um, I would like a table, if that's not too mention to ask." Offered the blue-eyed male in a courteous voice.

"You can sit and eat with us, over here!" Called a familiar voice that had Link smiling. Turning his head, he spotted Evan sitting alongside two other soldiers sitting at a single table.

When he looked to the waitress, she seemed quite happy at how things were unfolding. Nodding, she led him over to the table where the Cornulian archer and his compatriots were sitting. Turquoise eyes met his azure as he took a seat and placed his order along with the others at the table.

"Link, I'd like to meet my fellow lunatics that I call friends." Evan first gestured to the somewhat brutish-looking redhead that sat directly across from him. Whatever first impression Link had flew out the window as he noticed a heart-shaped necklace that hung around his thick neck, it matched the soft smile he gave as he looked to Link with a pair of soft green eyes. In one glass he could tell this was a warrior whose heart was almost as big as his body. "Residence hammer head and certified insect lover, Bertram. Just call him Bert." This guy here-"

"You're a tad shorter than I thought you'd be, but you've got one hell of a sword swing." In stark contrast to Bertram, the black-haired man was more on the lean side, lean and muscular. The scar that ran down his left eye over his cheek spoke of what he'd been through as did the twinkle in his blue eyes. He was looking at Link the same way some knights looked to one another before issuing a challenge. "The name's Gremio, Gremio the Frost Blade, as I'm known back in my home country."

The name immediately resonated with Link. "The swordsman that fights with the ice-blade, you've built up quite a record."

"As have you, I'd like to say I'm here to offer you a challenge to find out which of us is the strongest swordsman," the light died and a soft smile crept onto the black-haired warrior's face. "But that is for another time. Today, we're allies and breakfast mates. Besides, there's bigger problems on the horizon and I don't want to risk maiming you before they can be dealt with."

Grinning, the Hylian leaned forward apparently taking the bait. "Maiming me? With all due respect, Gremio, you've got things mixed up."

"Barely a minute in and you two are getting along so well, I new this would work!" Exclaimed Evan leaning back in his chair with an ear-to-ear grin.

"Here we were worried he'd leave a bad first impression. As I'm sure you can imagine, Gremio tends to do that." Laughed Bertram, not eve buckling an inch as the long-haired swordsman switched his gaze to him. It seemed that this was a common occurrence. "Anyways, how is Princess, um, Queen Zelda holding up? Forgive me for asking, but I thought you were supposed to be her royal bodyguard."

"I am, but she decided to give me the morning and most of the day off." He paused before hanging his head low. "She gave me a curfew; can you believe that?"

"Actually, yes." Answered Gremio crossing his arms. "As soon as things settled down and it became apparent that we'll be staying, they gave us clear cut rules on what we could and couldn't do. Even though they left the rowdiest bunch back home."

"Minus you." Evan sniped.

Gremio continued on, fixing Link with a straight stare that reminded him of Revali and Urbosa's. "It's no secret that things are in a delicate state, even if Gerudo Town is well on its way to recovery. For example, this tavern was all but demolished, but now it's been built back up to almost its original specifications. Even so, all it'll take is one brawl with the wrong people and it's back to square one."

"I see the stories regarding your mind being as sharp as your blade are true." Link noted.

"It sucks…but it's understandable, even for guys like us." Complained Evan laying his chin against his arms. "Situations like this are the worse, one wrong move and the next thing you know it could all go bust. Not to mention…I'm still uneasy with the Yiga and the rebels out there." In one turn, Evan's entire demeanor changed. He didn't seem so jovial anymore, Link could glimpse the archer that he'd seen before. "It's been five days since the attack, and even longer since the enemy found out about the caravan. We haven't heard a peep out of the enemy, which is unnerving."

"If we're lucky, then the enemy doesn't know where the caravan is either." Link offered.

"But we don't know how long that'll last, making this the calm before the storm." Bertram added before his gaze turned to their right. "But that doesn't mean we can't enjoy ourselves."

The other men followed his direction and smiled seeing the waitress coming with two trays full of food and drinks. Bertram had been right, while there was trouble on the horizon, they could take the time before it arrived to enjoy themselves. Based on the slight drool coming from their mouths as they eyed the food, that's exactly what they were going to do.

* * *

"Ah, it seems you've finished stuffing your bellies. That's good, it'll be one less excuse for you to fall back on should you lose."

All four men barely reacted to the bold voice. They'd been expecting it for some time, if anything, they were actually happy their observer had finally spoken up. Having been the Gerudo's target, Link placed his knife and fork down and turned to his challenger. She was a warrior as evident by her muscular build and light scars across her skin. In particular, a horizontal gash along her right side struck out at him. Unlike Riju, these woman's hair was cut short into a bun that stood out in sharp contrast to many other women. Her eyes, amber-yellow, bore into him like a lion rising for a hunt.

The fighter in him rose to meet the challenge. "Pick a time and a place, and I'll duel you to your heart's content."

"It seems traditions here are different than in our country." Muttered Bertram giving the Gerudo woman a sideways glance. "Normally we introduce ourselves before issuing such bold challenges."

There was a short laugh, "Very well, my name is Hanifa, best archer in all of Gerudo Town."

"And my name is-"

"She's not into you." Bertram snickered causing the brown-haired knight to glare at him. "Link, how's your archery?"

 _Revali, I'm sure you'd give anything to be here._ Mused the Hylian before standing up. Needless to say, it caught the attention of the other bar-goers. Several had sensed a fight brewing, and they were right, but it wasn't going to be happening here. "As I said, pick a time and a place."

Hanifa's lips twisted into an arrogant smile. Link gladly returned it. "At the training grounds we will be holding archery practice. Do please show up, we Gerudo would like to see how you handle the bow, Hero of the Wild. Rest assured, we will have plenty of bows and arrows to go around."

"Oh, good, then there'll be enough for me."

"And you are?" Inquired the Gerudo woman with a raised eyebrow.

Seeing the clearly unimpressed look of the woman, as well as her companions, Evan hung his head. "Apparently, not someone of much importance. I'm just a lowly Conrulian knight seeking a way to prove himself. Would you lovely ladies greet me the opportunity to do so?"

"If you think you can give us a decent showing, then by all means, you are welcome."

Hanifa met Link's eyes one last time before spinning on her heel and moving to leave, taking her three fellow Gerudo with her. They'd long since dragged out their eating and cleaned their plates, merely playing with the crumbs until the appropriate time. The money for the meal had been left on the table and was quickly gathered up. Excited murmurs were rolling through the bar-goers before Hanifa and her group were out of the door. Once they were, attention quickly fell onto Link.

"Is it always like this for you?" Questioned Bertram.

"Actually, it's been easing up in the last couple of weeks, and now I'm back here." Sighed the Hylian. "To be honest, I was hoping something exciting would happen today, but this wasn't quite what I had mind." He quickly smiled. "But I'm sure as hell going to make the most of it. Can't exactly back down after a challenge like that. Evan, are you coming?"

"Of course! I'm trying to make a name for myself, Mister Big-Shot Hero! The question is, what of you two?" His gaze went to Bertram and Gremio who'd watched the exchange with amused eyes. Both warriors looked to each other, nodded. Evan in particularly grinned at the big-bodied knight, silently sending him a message Link couldn't decipher. He let it go for now, once they got to the field, he had a feeling the truth would reveal itself.

 _Riju,_ Thought the adventurer. _I'm hoping your day's peaceful, and that you're keeping your head up._ Zelda had unknowingly hit the nail earlier. There was a bit of ego involved. If they were to one day go public with their relationship then he was going to have prove himself worthy of the Gerudo Chieftain's hand.

* * *

 _ **Mid-day…**_

"Un…unbelievable." Mouthed one of the spectators who ended up speaking for the rest.

Their shock was rightly founded, even Link had been caught somewhat by surprise. Bertram seemed like a nice enough person, from Evan's comments he'd guessed he was some sort of hammer user. The man himself had confirmed the archer's words, but Link had sensed there was more to it than that. Once the four males arrived at the royal training field, an expanse of desert set aside for the warrior women of the tribe, he was proven right.

After several demonstrations from the native Gerudo archers Bertram had stepped up, taken a bow, and let his talents speak for themselves. A row of targets, a number of bullseyes all hit dozens of times over. One arrow hit the target, as it did so another was being notched and fired, and so on. In spite of his bulky frame, Bertram moved with great speed down the firing range, hitting the target almost every time. It was incredibly impressive, amazing to the eyes of the Gerudo. Originally, they'd judged him to be a "dim-wit" as most heavy weapon-users often were. Within seconds he'd shattered their expectations.

Link's lips had curved into a near permanent smile. He'd been pleasantly surprise.

"Before you ask, no, I will not be going unless any of these ladies wish for a sparring match with swords…or axes." Came Gremio's bemused voice. Following it was a round of snickers from Evan.

"Not a fan of the bow?" He questioned turning to face the dark-haired knight. In response, he shrugged, answering Link's question for him. "Bertram, I think you've scared them enough! Let me have a turn!"

His words echoed through the range earning a series of stares and scowls from the Gerudo present. Bertram sighed in amusement, having clearly seen his statement coming. Hanifa's expression became that of a wolf who'd just spotted its prey. Raising her right hand, she snapped her fingers.

The rest of the Gerudo immediately scrambled to set things up. Old targets were removed and new ones were set up. A line of twelve going in two different directions with a second row set up in the back. There were times horses were issued, but this was a test of foot-archery instead of mounted archery. That sort of fun could come latter. Link stepped up, Bertram handing him his bow while Hanifa took hold of hers. Twenty targets for the both of them with quivers that held twenty-five arrows each. They could only afford so many slip-ups; neither of them planned on making such things.

Taking their positions, the Hylian and Gerudo gave each other one final look before turning their backs to one another. Patiently, they waited for the gong to sound, it did.

Little over a second later and the sound filled their ears. Their bodies kicked off, sand clouds forming in their wake.

Arrows were notched and fired with near lightning-speed. They cut through the air before finally impacting the targets set up over twenty-feet away from the two warriors. Their fingers moved like well-oiled machines, drawing bowstrings back, releasing them, then reaching back into their quivers for another arrow. Or two, or even three. Link and Hanifa's eyes never let the targets before them, their minds running light-speed calculations they'd been trained to. It was proof that the two had pushed themselves to the physical and mental extremes required to survive on the battlefield. In seconds spectators would know who'd pushed themselves further.

Link leaped into the air, achieving an astonishing seven feet, his bow still held strong in his grip and four arrows notched. His eyes were like those of a hawk, razor sharp with the focus to go with it. For him, time slowed to a crawl: the wind all but stopped, voices faded, and even the rays of the desert sun became nonexistent. The world itself had gone still leaving Link the only living creature in it. Such stillness would last no longer than a few seconds, but that was all the Champion of Hyrule needed. One arrow flew, then another, then a third, and lastly a fourth. In contrast to the stillness around him, each arrow flew like lightning. When they hit their target, the world returned to its proper state, at least in Link's eyes.

He came down into a roll which ended with him having another arrow notched. Without missing a beat, he let it fly as he sprung back onto his feet.

The voices of the spectators came to a sudden stop; Hanifa's movements ceased as well, her breath catching in her throat. She seemed still as a statue.

Raising to his feet, the blond looked the redhead dead in the eye. Both of them silently acknowledged what had just transpired. Link had hit all twenty of his targets, Hanifa had been seconds away from hitting her eighteenth. Onlookers looked back and forth between the two sets of targets, each of them was a bull's eye or close enough to it. Had they been enemies they would have surely gone down. The row of pierced targets served as a testament to the skill of the two warriors.

Skill that they both acknowledged in the form of silent nods.

"So, do you want another round?" Offered the Hylian.

Hanifa smirked. "By Din's fire, I do, but I want to see what your _sword hand_ is capable of, hero."

To his shame, he blushed at the statement, and in clear view of an audience. _For the love of the goddesses, don't let Riju find out about this! Please!_

He shouldn't have been surprised they wanted a demonstration of his swordsman. Next to Urbosa, he was the best swordsman of the Champions, and with her passing he was now arguably the best swordsman in all of Hyrule. More than a few had challenged him for the title and he'd found himself consciously and subconsciously defending it. It seemed this was going to be one of those times.

"A-Alright, then let's use-"

"Real swords!" Shouted one of the Gerudo spectators with a wide grin. "Fighters such as you two have no need for wooden or practice weapons. You're both skilled enough to handle them, right?"

It was a pointed question that Link normally wouldn't have batted an eye at. This time though, he could feel his cheeks burning redder, more so with Hanifa's carefully directed smile. Things were unfolding in a way he hadn't expected, and he wasn't quite so sure he wanted them to unfold that way. Under such pressure, he gave a false smile, hoping it'd be enough to fool everyone. Or almost everyone. He had one ally in this. Quickly, Link turned to Evan, whose expression told him he'd grasped the dynamics of the situation as quickly as he had. The foreign archer wasn't joking, he simply told him to bear through it. And if need be, apology to his secret girlfriend when all of this was over.

This little sparring session getting out was going to happen. There were over ten spectators, some of him Link recognized to be part of Gerudo Town's gossip machine. The only question was how many times would the story morph before it reached the queen herself.

Naturally, Hanifa favored her people's Moonlight Scimitar. Link took a replica.

"I have heard tales that you are able to dual-wield two weapons, just like some of our most skilled and even our ancestors." Offered the short-haired woman.

Link merely grunted. "I've dabbled, though I prefer having a shield in my other hand. Anyway, this is just a practice match."

"Hm, then if I win will you draw a second blade?"

"You make it sound as if there's a chance of your victory. If you can't beat me with one blade, how do you expect to handle me with two?"

Nearly all the hairs on the back of Link's neck stood up at the grin she shot him. Usually, that was when a surprise attack came, partially with the aim of making him eat his words. Hanifa at least waited until they were in the practice ring before taking the first swing at his head.

For the second time, Link was surprised. Though she'd presented herself as an archer, he quickly discovered that Hanifa's swordsmanship wasn't half-bad either. He was staying on his toes, watching her every swing and waiting for an opening. In turn, she was doing almost the exact same thing-calculating every move he made and going for any opening or break in his defenses she could. Their swords repeatedly clashed against one another, sparks flying near nonstop and metallic nose filling the training field. She was building up to something, he could feel it.

Little over a second later and she made her move, a blindingly fast left-side swing that would have taken the head off of a lesser warrior.

From Hanifa's point of view, her sword seemed to literally phase straight through Link's head. Confusion quickly gave way horror as she realized he'd not only seen her attack coming, but had already prepared for it.

He moved like the wind, swift and mercilessly. Metal clashed against itself, shocked voices rose out in response.

Hanifa's swords spun into the air while Link's swiftly moved to its place below his opponent's chin. Her eyes fell upon the steel edge just as her own weapon hit the ground, the mid-day sun reflecting off the side.

"You got a bit too excited." Remarked the Hylian. "Quite a thing for an archer."

"What can I say, this is the…closest I've ever gotten to a voe." She responded with a cheeky grin. "I suppose I…lost myself for a second or two. Perhaps I wanted to see a nice red cut on that beautiful peach-colored skin of yours'."

"If you want such a thing, you're going to have try harder." He coolly answered withdrawing his sword. At other times, he would have been readying for a sneak attack. While fully capable of fighting dirty, he knew most Gerudo preferred fighting fair, especially against an opponent they admired or respected. Two different trains of thought warred in his heads, in the end, he prayed he picked the lesser of two evils. "Hanifa, if you wish…I could teach you since your swordsmanship is…"

"Just say it, lacking." Waved off the older woman. "I'm matured enough to admit my bow handling is stronger than my sword hand. Though as you've shown, neither quite reach your level. Perhaps with your help I can mend that."

"If you're offering it to her, then we'd like the chance to learn as well."

Link felt a jolt run through him as he looked over to the stands. Spectators that had formerly been sitting were now standing. And staring at him. His face fell realizing the rest of his day was going to be one long hassle. He was going to be playing teacher, the last role he thought he'd ever play.

"Hey! Hey! Everyone! Master Link!"

All heads turned in a single direction. Another Gerudo warrior was jogging towards them waving her head. Link recognized her to be Karme, one of Riju's guards and an accomplished spearwoman. Coming onto the scene, her sage-green eyes looked immediately to him.

The Hylian realized this was what the jolt up his spine meant, he'd misidentified the signs. "What is it? Is Ri-Lady Riju alright?" he instantly questioned.

"S-She is fine, M-Master Link, the issue is…" Karme straightened up showing the news she was about to drop was serious. Seeing that, all the others in the training field gave her their full attention. Everyone was bracing themselves for whatever bombshell she was about to give. "One of our prisoners, a Yiga clanman has talked. We believe we know the location of the lost Cornulian caravan."

Link felt a stone drop in his stomach. _So much for peace and quiet. Looks like I'm going digging…again._

* * *

He'd been mostly silent throughout the whole meeting. As Zelda would likely point out, it was a case of history repeating itself. He'd fallen back into his old habits thus forcing his blonde-haired monarch to speak most of the time for him. In truth, Zelda practically had every right to speak, her and Riju. They were the highest ranking Hyrule officials in the room. And this was a matter of the highest severity.

Personally, Link didn't really care what methods had been used to make the Yiga clan member talk. As far back as a hundred years ago he'd heard horror stories about what the Gerudo did to war prisoners and such. Urbosa had not held back when explaining to him how their people treated those who crossed them or Hyrule. Link suspected little had changed in the century he'd been asleep. Given that it was the Yiga clan, he felt little in the way of sympathy for the prisoner in question.

What they'd given up was of interest to him, and everyone one else assembled in the room. Before them all lay a map of the Western Barrens. Link had remembered his exploration of the region, who knew he'd been walking over buried treasure. Or buried trouble.

In a way, he wasn't that surprised. The area was somewhat prone to sandstorms. Given the statues that littered the area, Link could also see how it could be used as a meeting place. Sadly, the last meeting there had turned bloody, extremely bloody. Link was pretty sure the bones of the caravan travelers were long buried, no doubt under hundreds of feet of sand. His concern was where the treasure was, likely buried even deeper.

Standing out was a bright red "X" that marked the location the prisoner had given. Zaltan had brought in all the records he could from one hundred years ago; they conceded with the information given by the prisoner. For all intents and purposes, it seemed like they had all the info they needed to reclaim the lost treasure. But that was exactly the problem, not to mention no one in the room seriously believed things would be that easy.

"The Yiga have already discovered the tunnels beneath the area and begun digging, they did so going on little over a week ago." Riju spoke up. Her eyes wondered over to Link's, who met her gaze for a short time. "It won't be easy."

"Again, Queen Riju, nothing worthwhile ever is easy." Prince Zaltan chided. "The question now is, should we act?"

"You waited almost two days to inform the rest of us so I feel that might be a dumb question." Of all the times to let his smart mouth slip up, it had to be now. Thankfully, no one gave him looks that were too sour, not even the Cornulians who seemed to actually agree with him. Taking a deep breath, he looked first to Riju, then to Zelda and Zaltan. "When do we head out?"

"You're actually going that far out?" Asked the gold-eyed prince.

Link crossed his arms. "With all due respect, I've been out in the West Barrens before. I actually have an…associate that lives out there. Besides, who else is qualified to lead an expedition like this?" His words came out a bit more arrogant than he'd intended, but Link couldn't help himself. Besides, his mind was already going at a mile a minute. All the pieces were coming together so quickly for him he felt he had to get the picture out there for those around him. "If we're lucky then the Yiga haven't had time to dig too deep."

"Even so, beneath the Western Barrens lies a cave network almost a thousand years old." Riju tempered giving him a somewhat sharp glare. "To charge in so recklessly would be ill-advised. While there is no doubt you're capable, Link, you can't do this alone."

"Exactly, which is why you'll be having some of my men going with you." Link looked to Sir Brutus with a passive stare. Forty-three years old with graying hair, and yet the man still gave off the same lethal aura he did on the battlefield. It was no surprise he'd become a major general in the Cornulian Army and had decided to be part of the royal escort. "While subterranean fighting can be…dirty work, but I can assure you, my men can handle themselves. Besides, this is partially our mess so you cannot stop us from trying to clean it up."

"It's settled then, we shall send a joint expedition to explore the cavern and hopefully reclaim the lost caravan." Answered Zelda. "The only question is who will be going?"

"I can think of several men who'll be able to hold themselves together as well as reclaim the lost gems." Brutus said.

"And I can easily put together six or Gerudo warriors who'll be able to serve as guides as well as hold their own."

Link rolled his shoulders. "Which just leaves me to round things out. Alright then, back to my original question, when do we leave?"

"Eager, aren't you?" Zaltan mused giving the Hylian a soft smile. "Master Link, believe me, I can understand your drive, but there are still a few more details to be ironed out. We cannot rush into this and leave ourselves open to potential attack."

"Which is exactly why I'm going to be ordering half of our forces to remain stationed here in Gerudo Town." Added the graying-haired knight. "But I believe we'll need some way to communicate between the two parties."

"We can look to the Purah for that, in fact, I'm pretty sure we're going to be needing her help on this. And maybe the Gorons." Added Link. "If we're going to be digging, we're going to be needing some experts with us."

"The kind that won't break under fire." The Cornulian heir furthered. It might have been Link's imagination, but he could have sworn he saw Zaltan's eyes swerve over to Riju. "I trust the Gorons will be willing to lend a hand? Should they, then I believe they deserve a piece of the potential spoils."

"But of course, I will take care of that part, if it's all the same to you." Riju's last words were directed toward Zelda, who nodded in understanding. "To answer your question, Link, it will take at least two days or so to properly put things together, especially if we want to get the Gorons involved in this. During that time, I can only ask that everyone prepares themselves." The young monarch looked from the table to her bodyguard. She knew full well that if given the chance, Buliara would have gone with the expedition. The lost caravan presented a threat to them all which she felt duty-bound to eliminate as quickly as possible. "I believe it goes without saying, but nothing leaves this room until the appropriate time. My people are just now getting back on their feet and the last thing I want is to incite a panic, not to mention create a mad dash for what may turnout to be a false led."

"As if things weren't bad enough." Moaned the Hylian adventurer. "All this while the Yiga could potentially be getting closer and closer day by day."

"Actually, we may just have a…slight advantage, one that'll buy us some time." Spoke Buliara surprising the assembly. "Within the old caves and networks are said to lurk many creatures, some harmless and others not so much. For example, the Molduga are known to nest beneath the desert's surface and prowl the tunnels, some of them making their nests there. Obviously, such creatures are why we Gerudo have not extensively mined the tunnels and underground for some time."

"Well, we're about to change all of that." Sighed the last of the Champions. "Riju, can you give us an idea of what we're going to be facing down there, besides lunatics and treasure hunters?"

"I've already made arrangements along with Prince Zaltan." Either no one was willing to speak out about his break in formality or no one cared. Whichever it was, things proceeded as usual. "If you can avoid causing any trouble, namely a cave-in or earthquake, then please exercise caution."

"Setting off an earthquake?" Zaltan pressed with a raised eyebrow. "Now I know my country's magical stones are powerful but…"

Riju shifted in her seat. "Almost…three hundred years ago there was an…incident. It was the start of the decline of the Arbiter's Grounds."

Link felt another stone drop in his stomach. He'd explored the upside so much that he thought he knew all that he needed to. In turn though, he'd neglected the underground, at least as far as Gerudo Desert was concerned. He'd associated tunneling and digging with the Gorons, not the Gerudo. Suddenly, he felt stupid and foolish, especially since there was a chance that he was one day going to be calling the desert realm home. Maybe this could be a learning experience for him, it was certainly going to be one for everyone else.

The Hylian tore his gaze away from the table-map to look to a nearby window. Sunlight poured through the open hole bringing with it a pleasant breeze. Suddenly, he had the desire to get outside and enjoy as much fresh air as he could.

* * *

"Hey."

He wasn't at all surprised to find Riju sitting on his bed, patiently waiting for him for who new how long. Link didn't even ponder how long she'd been waiting, or perhaps the stir that was being caused by her being here. Just seeing her brought a smile to his face; he was overjoyed when she returned it.

"I heard you had some fun today before we called you away." She began.

"For the record, I tried to keep things as civil as possible! Honest!"

Link didn't realize how much he'd missed her laugh, or the feel of her touch. They'd just been together little more than a day ago, yet it felt like it'd been months. He didn't care about stripping her of her clothing or removing his, the Hylian was just happy to have his girlfriend back in his arms again. Her scent rushed into his nose while her warmth overwhelmed his body. Riju felt something similar as his arms tightened around her.

"Relax, I had a gut feeling that once you started walking out and about, you'd attract some attention. You know, people talk about you." Admitted the younger of the pair. "Your legend's spreading pretty far."

"I suppose I should be happy for that,"

Riju pulled away. Worry laced her eyes as she peered into his. "But you're not happy about that, are you? Link, you can't keep living this hermit life style or denying yourself due credit. One day, it's entirely possible you're going to be training the next generation of Hyrule Knights. How do you expect to do that when you don't have any faith in yourself? Or pride in yourself?"

He kissed her forehead. "But that's why you're here, to help me by massaging my ego. Then I can do the same for you."

That got a laugh out of her as she buried herself in his embrace. "I guess I'll accept that answer for now, but don't keep resorting to it. From what I hear, when you're on your own, Link, you're pretty flexible and social." A soft hand stroked his cheek causing him to smile. "You want me to massage your ego, well, here goes-you're going to come back to Gerudo Town with carts full of treasure. Most importantly, you're going to come back to _me_."

His grin turned seductive. "Will I get a reward?"

"All depends." She baited running a finger up the side of his face. "Just make sure to get yourself, and those around you, back alive. I care more about your lives than I do some magic rocks." Taking his hand, she guided him back to the bed where they both sat down. Yet another scene that would cause a scandal. "My mother told me stories about the underground, trust me, some of them left me with nightmares. You, on the other hand, have faced the stuff of nightmares so I have faith in you. That said, Link, I don't want you doing anything stupid down there. I can't tell you the number of stories cave-ins that have claimed the lives of many, Gerudo and otherwise."

"Being buried alive, somehow that sounds less glamorous than dying on the battlefield."

"As it should, being buried alive sucks. Not to mention it deprives the living the chance to…well, I'm sure you understand what I'm saying."

"Then I'll do my best to avoid things coming to that point."

"Good boy," giggled the redhead reaching up to place a kiss on his cheek. While he laughed, Riju reached into a pouch that had been fasten to her waist. "Look, I know that we promised to keep our relationship secret, but I…here. We've been together for over a year so I figure this should be my gift to you. Consider it a token of the favor of the Gerudo Queen." Thanks to the light from his window, the topaz-colored gemstone practically glittered, completely captivating Link's attention. He could have sworn that he saw actual sparks of lightning jumping within the gold-colored jewel that dangled off of the reddish-brown string. Sheepishly smiling, Riju tool the pendent and wrapped it around her secret lover's left wrist. "I know, ridiculous, but-"

It was his turn to catch her off-guard, and he did so with gusto. Her shocked gasp was muffled by Link's lips, his tongue quickly forcing its way into her mouth. His grip on her was tight as he pushed her down into the mattress. Riju welcomed the act, clawing at his back while moving her legs up against his sides.

"Thank you, Riju" he whispered as he pulled away so she could breath. "Now I have to get you something."

"All I can ask is that you come back to me, that's all I'll ever ask of you, Link." Gigged the redhead lightly pushing him upright. A stray glance went to the door. Should anyone come upon them…well, Riju knew the word "scandal" wouldn't even begin to cover it. Especially if someone walked in on them in a state of undress. As much as Riju wanted to, she couldn't risk it. "Link, over on your desk is everything you'll need to know about the tunnels."

"Ah, you brought me gifts." Damn him and that cheeky grin that made her blood boil.

"L-Like I-I said, y-you have the queen's favor." She both loved and hated how he was able to reduce her to this flustered wreck. Shyness wasn't her thing, at least not in public. Then again, they weren't really in public. "N-Now, j-just r-re-remember what I said! A-And don't take any unnecessary risks while you're out there!" With great pain, she broke away from him, heading towards the window. Link had taught her more than a few tricks on how to sneak out when she wanted to. She'd used those skills to sneak into her room and were going to use them to sneak back to her royal office.

"You know, Zelda told me the same thing this morning when I was getting ready to go out."

"That's because we both know you're the reckless type. Cute, quiet, and reckless, what a combination. It's partially why I gave you that necklace." She didn't wait around for a snappy response, partially because she felt like there wasn't a reason to. It wasn't like he was leaving for some looming war and his odds of survival were deem. He was Link Gladwyn, Hero of the Wild and Champion of Hyrule, he'd definitely be coming back.

Coming up to the window, he couldn't help but smirk at the inability to find her. It seemed he'd taught Riju well. Turning his attention to her gift, he held up the topaz-gemstone necklace she'd given him up to the light of the evening sun. Its glow glittered and the electric sparks inside became evident.

 _Queen's favor,_ mused the Hylian removed the necklace from his arm then placing it around his neck. _Then I swear it, I will do everything in my power to ensure your reign goes down in history as a golden age, Riju._

* * *

 **This chapter was more Link-centered and something of a cool down from the last two before getting back to the main plot. I hope that was acceptable to you all. For the lost caravan, the next few chapters will focus on it and be the closest thing to dungeon crawling this story will have. Link leading a party of trained warriors deep underground in a race against their enemies while fending off unknown dangers? That's going to be the makeup of the next two or three chapters, but don't be surprised if I throw some curveballs in. Until then, everyone!**


	6. Chapter 6-Descending into Darkness

**Hiya, everyone! I don't think I need to go into too much detail on what this chapter's going to center on since the last one set things up. The Hero of the Wilds heads into the underground where the living aren't meant to dwell and as usual, prepare for something to go wrong!**

 **I do not own anything.**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 6-Descending into Darkness**_

Link remembered what they said about departure, it truly was perhaps the most nerve-wrecking aspect of any military deployment. Amongst the few memories he'd regained one that stood out was seeing his father prepare to leave their home and his mother doing her best to remain strong for them all. He recalled his father pulling her into a tight hug, kissing her and whispering into her ear how he would retain before doing the same to him. Sadly, Link couldn't recall what words he'd said, all he knew was that he pleaded for his father to return as well. He promised him that too with a smile that filled Link with joy and hope.

Almost two weeks later and that hope was validated.

Though bruised and battered, his father had returned to him and his mother. It was one of those days he'd slept in their room, safe in the arms of both his parents and content with the world. Those had been the days, but as with all things, there had to come an end to them. What always ate away at Link was the fact that they'd ended in perhaps the most unexpected, most twisted way imaginable. They'd ended because he'd failed. Instead of his father never coming home he was the one who never came home. He fell in battle, but to death but merely a dreamless sleep from which he eventually awoke.

The problem was, while he slept everything he loved burned, everyone he'd ever loved perished: his parents, his comrades, his first love, all of it was gone.

A part of Link knew he'd spend the rest of his life cursing the way things had played out, rather he was able to mostly move on with his life or not. It was simply a dark fact he'd come to accept for better or worse.

However, at the very least he could do his best to make sure those that had loved ones were able to return to them. That was his mission this day, one he'd do his best to complete even if it meant having to forfeit a limb or two. If it came to that, Riju wouldn't be happy with him, but at the very least he'd be returning to her. Hopefully.

Overhead, the desert sun continued to beat down as if it were just another ordinary day in the Gerudo Desert. If one looked at Gerudo Town from the outskirts then it certainly appeared so. Merchants and travelers of both genders were walking the streets. Most people tried to focus on that as being the sole thing borne from the Yiga's surprise attack. Only a select handful knew the actual truth. A portion of that handful were behind him, loading up survival and digging tools onto a massive caravan that would be carried through the desert by a pair of specially breed sand seals. Link paused in his sky-gazing to look back at the two of them.

Avel and Castor were their names, both seasoned seals who'd rode through the desert on countless errands. Their instincts were so good that they could detect brewing storms a good while before most humans could; on top of that, they could be fierce fighters when pressed into a corner. Almost a month ago, Link had heard Riju rode Avel through the desert and the scar-bodied seal had seen her through the trip earning him her affection. For the act alone, Link was willing to place his faith in the seal.

The seasoned seal responded to Link's coming, turning his head to face him. He eased into the Hylian's palm, affectionately purring at his touch.

"He seems to like you, Master Link." Noted the Gerudo who'd finished fastening the straps onto Avel and Castor. "Have you rode him before?"

"No, I just have a bit of a way with animals. That, or if I need to ride something or someone, I learn fast." Answered the Hylian. "To be honest, I'm actually hoping we'll be able to keep them out of harm's way when the fighting starts."

An eyebrow was raised at his statement, a second later and flicker of acknowledgement flashed in her eyes. "At best, they might just have a few traitors trying to steal them away. That won't be a problem, these two are pretty tough and know how to bite back. What do you think we're going to be fighting down there?"

"Honestly, I can think of a whole list of things, probably giant insects, worms, and maybe a couple of rock monsters or two." Listed off the Champion. "By the way, I didn't catch your name, what is it, if you don't mind me asking."

"Oh, it's Obelia." Laughed the Gerudo archer pushing a strand of crimson hair behind her ear. From what he could gather, she perhaps a bit on the young side, just an inch or two taller than him. From what he could see from her hands, she'd seen a little bit of some action as the worn lines and scars on her palms indicated. "To be honest, I'm…I'm kind of happy you're coming with us. A mission this big, I'll admit I'm…I'm pretty scared. Actually, I'm pretty much scared shitless. Pretty shameful, huh?"

"Nope, it's perfectly natural. In fact, to be honest with you, I'm a little scared myself." His gaze was directed upward. He was going to miss the blue skies of the Gerudo desert, but hopeful he and his traveling party would be able to see it again when all of this was over with. "We're heading into underground tunnels with who knows what crawling around us and a couple of murderous ninja and war criminals on our backs. Who we're also racing against to find a stash of magical stones that could probably blow the entire underground and bury us all. That'd be a pretty piss poor ending to this adventure, wouldn't it?"

Obelia laughed; in turn, Link cracked a smirk. "A minute ago you were doing your best to lift my spirits and now it feels like you're bringing me down. Guess that's experience talking, isn't it?"

"Yeah, just keep your head above the mayhem, it's okay to cry a little, but there's going to come a time when you need to wipe away the tears and get up. Nothing comes from sulking and crying in a corner."

Avel seemingly supported his statement with a loud cry. The Hylian and Gerudo looked to the sand seal in surprise, then gave a joint laugh at his actions. Content in his peep talk, Link left Obelia to finish double-checking their supplies. As he stood up, he spotted a familiar face watching him. Swallowing a small lump in his throat, he made his way over to Hanifa.

"So, how bad is this going to be? I take it you've been underground before?" Inquired the Hylian male.

A dark look came over Hanifa's normally bright eyes. The blond knew the look all too well and immediately regretted voicing his question. In a flash, her gaze was upon him, a light smile tugging on her lips. "There was an…expedition almost three years ago. I lost some friends, never found their bodies so we weren't able to give them a proper burial, only a funerary send-off. It wasn't like it was the first time something like this happened. Sadly, we Gerudo have grown…accustomed to not having bodies to bury. What matters is we're able to give their spirits proper sendoff. Speaking of sendoff, ours will begin as soon as the last members of our group show up."

Link looked around the two of them. It wasn't like their group was small by any means. Bordering on some twenty people already, a joint force of Gerudo and Cornulians, it was a sizable enough group that could hand out into the desert and handle almost anything thrown at them. It was also the kind of group that would likely come back with a few members missing, at best. He bit his lip in thinking about that. Instead, he tried to think about what, or who, they were missing. From what he could gather, they had about twelve Gerudo warriors and about ten Cornulian knights going on this little venture, including Gremio. He was arguably the Cornulian knights' chief officer, by skill more so than rank.

The swordsman caught Link's wondering eye and returned his gaze. As expected, he was all business. He too had little idea what they were going to be facing, but whatever they encountered he was going to face it as bravely as possible. Link remembered that was the attitude that the army and royal guard's combat instructors had attempted to drill into new recruits. Evidently, it had been successful in Cornulia.

"Hey! H-Hey! L-Link! You guys haven't left yet, have you?" Boomed a young and nervous-laced voice. Within seconds, Link's ears perked up and a joyful smile bloomed across his face as he turned his head in the voice's direction.

Immediately, he recognized the white-tuff of hair that stood out atop a bright orange head. Joy cackled in the small blue eyes of the approaching Goron; Link mirrored his expression as he raised his hand and laughed in recognition.

Though the memories were literally a hundred years old, he could still remember getting bear-hugged by Daruk. A century may have passed, but the sensation remained. His grandson was beginning to develop the same kind of strength as Link quickly discovered, not that that was a bad thing. He was quite resilient himself.

Hanifa definitely took notice of this. "Hm, old friend of yours? Oh, and how is it you're so tough despite being so scrawny?" Quipped the Gerudo archer with a cool smirk.

"Hey, looks aren't everything!" The minute he was free he sprung into action, wrapping his left arm around the startled Yunobo. "Take this guy here! He may look like your typical go-lucky Goron, and he can be, but he's the grandson of the great Daruk, Champion of the Gorons! This guy here helped scale Death Mountain with me to stop the rampaging Vah Rudania! You should have seen it, busting through hordes of monsters like it was nothing in an effort to regain his tribe's lost honor, with my help of course! Isn't that right, Yunobo?"

Just as planned, his words threw the young Goron for an absolute loop. Thankfully, he recovered quickly. "I-I-I, u-um, w-w-well, s-s-s-sorta. B-B-B-But i-it was really a team effort! I-I never would have gotten through it if it weren't for you, Link!"

Rather or not Hanifa bought their story was a matter for another day. Whatever the case, she found the display amusing enough to give a heartfelt laugh. "Another Champion-descendent like Riju? Well, that certainly puts more of my worries to ease! Yunobo, I look forward to seeing what the future Champion of the Gorons is capable of on this mission!" Declared the Gerudo archer turning her back to the two of them.

"What was that? Come on, you know I'm still trying to build up my confidence!" Shouted the pendent-wearing Goron once he felt all eyes and ears had moved away from them. He had absolutely no idea why he'd played along with Link's little lie; a lie that was quite visible and ease to pick apart. Hanifa said that it'd pet her worries had ease, it'd done the exact opposite for Yunobo. "Link, I'm serious! I-I-I'm…this was a mistake, I never should have volunteered for a mission like this! I-I'll find some way to screw it up!" Cried the cream-haired Goro.

"No, you won't." Affirmed the Hylian with steely determination in his eyes. "You pulled through when we had to stop Vah Rudania and you're gonna pull through this time, I'm sure of it. Besides," Placing a hand against the boulder-bodied youngling, Link winked at him. "You'll have me watching your back and I'll be watching yours just like last time, so we've got nothing to worry about. Oh, and we'll be having the rest of them as backup." Gesturing with his chin, the pointed Yunobo's attention to the rest of the group, hard at work in preparing for the perilous journey that no doubt lay ahead of them. There wasn't a frown of worry or uneasy on any of their faces, only grim determination in doing what needed to be done.

Seeing it all made Yunobo realize that all his negative attitude would do would bring the mood down, not to mention make him the odd one out. He looked to Link, who'd seemingly read his thoughts in an instant. At last, he was able to find it in him to give his Hylian friend a confident smile.

The Goron envoy consisted of six Gorons counting Yunobo himself bringing their group to a total of twenty-eight, almost thirty souls. Every person possessed some degree of fighting ability, and others were particularly one-men and women-fighting machines themselves, himself included.

"Yunobo," Link called as the blue-eyed Goron turned to leave. "Since you're here, I think it's high-time I gave this to you." Holding out his hand, he quitted his mind called out to his "armory'. Link held no illusions about ever one day becoming a sorcerer or magician, it simply wasn't in him. That said, he'd been practicing a few spells, specifically those that he felt would be useful. Among them were the "arms spells", a line of magic that naturally dealt with weaponry. For a person like him, it was right up his alley. A mass of flames appeared in his hands before exploding outwards, an emerald-light glittering at the center of his palm.

"W-W-Woah! W-W-When d-did you learn how to do that?!" Cried the young Goron as he stumbled a few steps backward. He seemed more put-off by the magical display than he did by the massive hulking weapon that Link held upright, its blunt end sticking downward into the sand. As the shock began to wear off, Yunobo fully examined the item in question; his mouth promptly dropped. "L-Link…I…I can't take that."

"Of course you can." Affirmed the Hylian. "The Boulder Breaker belonged to your grandfather, and now I'm passing it down to you just as he would have intended. Where we're going, you're going to need it."

Yunobo was quiet as he alternated between looking at the sandy ground and at Link. When he finally met Link's eyes, his were filled with a somewhat uncharacteristic determination. "I…I've already got a good weapon, these." Holding up his fists, Yunobo took a moment to concentration. A minute later and his hands glowed a bright orange-red; the surrounding air cackled with so much heat Link smirked, cracking his lips in the process. "S-S-Sorry, sorry!" Cried the bigger male immediately shutting off his power.

"Hey, no need to apologize! That's actually pretty good! I'm glad to see I'm not the only one who's been practicing his magic." Commented the blond. "Suppose your fists will come in more handy than this thing in a tight place like the underground, huh?"

"S-Sorta," Stated the bare-chested Goron. "It's just…I, Link, one day…I _do_ want to wield the Boulder Breaker, but I want to really earn it. I…I haven't earned it yet."

It was like looking into a mirror. _Daruk, you have no idea how much I wish you were here._ Having his blood relative at his side would have done Yunobo a world of good, more so than Link could ever hope to do. Unfortunately, he was all the young Goron had. He understood all too well where Yunobo was coming from; he'd been in his place before. In some ways, Link felt like he'd remained there even a century later.

Dismissing the weapon in a shower of flames and light, Link looked at his Goron friend with a somewhat somber expression. "Alright. I take it you want me to decide when you're worthy to wield it?"

Nervousness laced his voice and body. "Y-Yeah, pretty much. I mean…we both know you can probably get better use out of all of the Champions' weapons. You're the most skilled fighter in all of Hyrule so…I…can you like…be my coach?"

"Um, you know that sort of thing isn't my…strong suit." Mumbled the blond.

Yunobo laughed. "You were pretty good at it when we were facing Vah Rudania. If you ask me, Link, you're a pretty well-rounded guy, and a pretty wise person. It's one reason why even though I'm pretty scared…seeing you gives me the confidence to go down there."

Link's mouth dropped at hearing the words. How many times had he heard some variant of them?

" _You don't give yourself enough credit, Link. You're more than just a warrior or knight…you're…you're inspirational. It's why Hyrule's been able to start the long climb to becoming a real kingdom again. It's why…I've been able to hold my head up a little higher since meeting you. And one day…I'm hoping you-"_

"Hey! Link, if you and your friend are done catching-up, we've still got some last details to sort out!" Shouted Gremio drawing the Hylian out of his personal recollections.

Both lads looked across their shoulders back to the convoy. They could see that preparations were almost complete.

"Yeah, we'll be right over!" Shouted back the Hylian before turning to face Yunobo. "Just keep that confidence, alright?"

Vigorously, the young Goron nodded in understanding. His large hands clapped tight around Link's normal-sized palms.

"Right then, let's do our best, brother! For Grandpa Daruk!"

"Aye!"

Old memories sometimes came back at the most unexpected of times, and the most embarrassing of times. At times, the memories were wanted and unwanted. This was one of the times where they were wanted, and perhaps even needed. In this case, he recalled memories of his time serving with his assigned unit, and his fellow Champions. Without a doubt they were fond memories he took an extra moment to dwell on. Afterwards, he promised himself that the future would not be a repeat of the past, no matter what it took.

* * *

 _ **Western Barrens, Late Afternoon…**_

They'd arrived at the spot little more than an hour ago and immediately began digging. Just about thirty-minutes in and they'd hit solid rock. The Gorons took over after that, using their own custom mining equipment to punch through while the rest held up their Sheikah-designed scanners. Link could have sworn a collective hush ran through the entire group when the scanners began to beep.

There was definitely something beneath them, maybe a quarter mile or perhaps a full mile, but there was something down there. It seemed that their prisoner's intelligence had been on the money. Link wasn't so sure that was a good thing as the Yiga and the Cornulian rebels no doubt must have known the same thing. While the Gorons dug, he continued to glance around at the surrounding wasteland. He saw absolutely nothing but rock and sand…which was the problem. A big problem.

 _Either they're waiting for us to open up a path for them…or they're already down there._ His thoughts were unsettlingly clear over the sound of the drill roaring in the background. Link's body could feel the vibrations born from the energized drill tearing through earth and stand like paper. In spite of it, his senses were turned up to such a degree it might as well have been like a slight breeze of wind. He was watching that too, the wind. The second he heard the slightest disturbance in it he was ready to spring into action. In some ways, Link realized he was actually hoping for such a disturbance. At least it would have been something he was familiar and could deal with.

The unknown was arguably the most dangerous thing imaginable.

"I believe whatever threat we're going to face, it's going to be underground." Link looked to his right and saw Gremio approaching him. His hand was fastened tightly on the hilt of his longsword. "We have no deserts like this in Cornulia, perhaps a few rocky expanses, but nothing like this great desert. It's as impressive as it is…unnerving."

"We're just lucky there wasn't a sandstorm brewing today." The blond-haired adventurer directed his gaze upward for a splint second. "You think I'm being paranoid or a pessimist since it's not raining or there's not so much as a cloud in the sky?"

Gremio grunted. "Some of the worst tragedies have played out beneath a gleaming sun. I don't believe the sky pays much heed to those of us on the ground. We are but playthings to the deities above, no offense."

"None taken." Shrugged back the Hylian. "Truth is I…" Briefly, he turned his head back to the dig site. A massive wall of sand and rock were continuously being blasted into the air. It was almost completely drowned out by the roar of the drill. Even the voices of the operators were little more than soft mumbles compared to the roar of the engines. Their conversation would more than likely go unnoticed. "A part of me lost faith in the goddess after…after…I don't think I need to spell it out for you."

"You don't." Softly shutting his eyes, Gremio placed a hand on the blonde's shoulder. "To be frank, I never believed in the gods, or goddesses, or any other higher power. This is a world of men, thus however it turns out falls on our shoulders. I'd rather spend time and sweat attempting to fox a mistake with my own hands than praying before an altar hoping the problem magically fixes itself. I…I despise people like that."

"Gremio, not to be rude, but you're sounding like you would have made a terrible priest."

The scar-faced swordsman laughed. "Oh, I hope so. I'd rather turn to banditry than become a man of the cloth."

Link whistled. "Pretty extreme, but I can't say you're the first I've met with a disdain for the church. I take it you're able to get away with it since Cornulia is a theocracy, is it?"

"Neither is Hyrule, a least not on paper." Quipped back the swordsman. "What about you? Any career choice you couldn't stomach taking?"

His mouth opened to respond, but his voice was cut-off by a near thunderous-cracking sound which made his hair stand on end. Gremio felt a similar feeling as he saw his hand instinctively tighten on his sword. Momentarily, Link mused how both of them were more edge than either realized. Looking back, they watched a massive cloud of sand and dust arise, catching even the Gorons off-guard with its thickness. How none of them managed to avoid falling inward was a shock onto itself. Straight-mouthed, Link walked forward, Gremio by his side. Together, they stood alongside Hanifa and stared down into the darkness.

"So, what sort of nightmarish beasts are we looking at?" Questioned the Conrulian knight.

"Anything you can imagine." Huffed Hanifa. "Plus all the other terrors psychotic traitors and criminals can visit upon us."

"Alright, Yunobo! Get me some rope! I'm heading down!"

"You are?" Questioned the Gerudo.

Link looked at her with a blank stare. "Better me than the rest of you, I've got a whole life's worth of diving into dangerous, life-threatening situations. Plus," He reached behind his back and unsheathed an inch of the Blade of Evil's Bane. "I'm the one with the evil-repelling sword. Whatever we face down there, I've got a gut feeling it's going to havee some evil taint to it, so better me than the rest of you."

Hanifa and Gremio looked to him then to each other. Link could have sworn he saw something resembling worry flash through their eyes. If his girlfriend could hear him, he'd imagine she'd have broke out into a cold sweat.

Yunobo came back with the rope and climbing gear less than a minute later. He picked up on the mood of things in seconds.

"U-Um, L-Link…you're…"

"I'm going down, Yunobo." Answered the blond as plainly as if he were stating the weather. "As soon as I give the signal, the rest of you can come down."

"And if you don't give any signal?" Hanifa asked somewhat worryingly.

"Then…avenge me, and try to bring something back to be buried."

* * *

 _ **Underground…**_

Link had heard the saying that sometimes, the more one wants something the more elusive it becomes. He was willing to take that mantra whenever it came to things like death and danger, if for the sake of his companions more than his own. For better or for worse, he'd grown uncomfortably used to his life being in mortal danger and the end being no more than a stone's throw away. He remembered his instructors, and even Urbosa herself telling him it meant that he'd become accustomed to a warrior's life-style. As he glanced back behind him, he wondered if the warriors behind him had felt the same.

They'd left six of their own topside and three at the entry hole for safety reasons. The remaining nineteen had pressed onward into the tunnels, a network of small tunnels, some of which opened up into massive chambers. Link could safely say that he wasn't alone in gaping in awe at what they found-gigantic dug-outs that looked like they could have been hundreds, maybe thousands of years old. From what little history he remembered and his time with Riju, he knew that some of these tunnels were indeed that old.

Progression was silent and tedious, which all things considered were exactly how things were supposed to be. Having to traverse nothing but treacherous terrain was much more preferable to fighting in such enclosed spaces against enemies that truly wanted nothing but their blood.

Then again, the fact they hadn't encountered said enemies did nothing to put his mind at ease. Quite the opposite.

Almost a whole hour had passed since they'd descended down into the tunnels and so far, they hadn't found much of anything. Besides the occasional subterranean creature that was no bigger than their hands or arms; to his credit, Yunobo hadn't reacted to any of those like one would have expected them to. If anything, their presence seemed to keep him on guard. Link thought that was good, he needed it.

Moving from wide open expanses to narrow passageways had not exactly been easy. Yunobo and his two fellow Gorons, Grosh and Tolith knew what they were getting into thus did their best to remain resolute when the group had to stop at a deep chasm or narrow passage way. Of the three, Tolish knew a bit of magic made for moving the earth. He stepped forward and placed his hands against the old stone, ancient incantations leaving his lips and the magic passing from his giant hands into the rock. Control was key as if he went too fast, moved the earth too quickly or too much the entire underground could cave in on them.

Link continuously looked upward at the stalagmite-ridden ceiling. He'd practiced with his Daruk's Protection, as had Yunobo. Together, they probably could have protected the group, but for how long? It wouldn't do much good since they'd practically be buried with probably a limited supply of air and little hope for escape.

This time, it was the physical feel of something bumping into him that brought him out of his thoughts, or rather, it was him bumping into that person.

"Lost in thoughts again? Worry not, we've come upon a suitable place for such things." Hanifa's amused voice.

Glancing behind her, Link saw what she meant. An underground reservoir that branched off into a rushing waterfall. Taking in the spacious space, Link noted that it was indeed a good place to stop and rest and take stock of their location. According to the last read out on his slate, they were getting closer and closer to the lost caravan's remains. Something told him that past this point things would begin to get harder for them. It made the urge to sit down and rest all the greater.

"We're taking a break here! Put something in your stomach so you'll be ready to go in four minutes tops!" Called the Gerudo archer leaping from the ledge onto the ground almost ten feet beneath them. Link followed after her.

All they really did was set up a loose parameter around the area, nothing more. The break was intended to be short so everyone wasted no time in breaking out the rations, eagerly consuming them.

Gremio found him merely four feet from the water's edge. "Is it just me, or does it feel like this has been too easy so far?"

Giving him a sideways glance, Link stated, "I'm actually starting to think they're simply tailing us. Don't ask me why or how, but I just have this feeling that the Yiga are simply waiting for us to get to the caravan so they can sweep in and take it for themselves."

"You mean letting us do the heavy lifting? Smart ploy, one that I would likely do."

Neither of them were entertaining the possibility that they weren't being followed. As warriors, they'd been trained to trust their instincts. Those honed instincts were telling them that dangerous was just around the corner, all it was doing was waiting for the right moment to pounce.

"Hey, you asked me if there was any job occupation I'd never want to take. I have one, it's-"

They both felt it at the same time-the electrical jolt that woke up every sense in their bodies. Eyes wide as saucers, Link scrambled backward, his hand manifesting a bow with an arrow notched while Gremio surged forward, his sword leaving his scabbard on the way. The tip was freed then ruthlessly plunged into the water. The icy-blue gem at the base of the sword lit up like a candle; blue lines traced down the blade through the tip and into the water. It quickly began to turn into ice. Link kept his bow and arrow notched, behind him, the rest of the group was responding accordingly.

Before the ice could completely cover the lake, their enemies revealed themselves.

 _ **THUNK! THUNK! THUNK! THUNK! THUNK!**_

It was a swift but somewhat haunting sound-arrows flying through the air then piercing flesh. Skin broke in seconds and organs were punctured not soon after. Depending on where the arrows hit, death was instantaneous, in other cases, it took a few extra seconds. The Yiga coughed and sucked in final breaths before their bodies began to descend downward back toward the freezing lake. Only a handful hit the water before the surface froze, the rest hit the ice sheet, their blood turning the white frost red. Not all of the archer's arrows hit though, a few managed to deflect them just in time to avoid being shot.

One Yiga clansman, more heavily armored than the others, glared at Link through his mask. In his hands were a pair of hook blades that gleamed in the dim lighting of the cavern. Wind gathered around his feet, then exploded pushing him forward like an arrow shot from a bow.

 _ **CLANG!**_

The sound of their blades colliding was like thunder, resounding through the watery chamber as if it were the open skies. Link could feel a wave of aggression from behind his enemy's mask. He responded by quickly swinging his sword in a diagonal arc, hoping to cleave the attacker in two. Instead of flesh and armor, all the Master Sword cut was air. Out of the corner of his eyes, he spotted the Yiga clansman moved toward the rest of the group, most of whom were still focused on the frozen lake.

Link commanded his body to move, his blood pumping in his ears and his hands gripping his sword handle like a vice. From his left came a blue ball of energy, his whole body literally shivered as it passed him, which was normal since it was condensed sub-zero energy. It impacted the Yiga warrior via his backside, freezing him solid. His frozen stature came as a complete surprise to the Gerudo warrior he was seconds away from killing; the woman recovered her senses quickly and swung her sword with all the might she could, cleaving the frozen man in two.

Spinning on his heel, Link saw Gremio staring at him. No words were spoken between the two men, there wasn't any need. Hanifa shouted out a battle cry, ordering everyone into battle. The next thing everyone did was charge out onto the frozen lake to engage the remaining Yiga.

It wasn't exactly a good idea as Link knew that Gremio hadn't frozen the entire lake, only the surface. As their side and the enemy clashed, cracks formed in the ice sheet, from the other side. Moments later and more Yiga ninja burst from the icy cover, water dripping off of their bodies. Arrows and fireballs flew from the search party, some of them hitting their mark while the others were deflected. The Yiga were far from unarmed, in fact, they seemed to have come prepared. In retaliation for their attack, they launched kunai and shurikens and other projectiles, all enhanced by the elements of fire and lightning. Seeing them, the group scattered, explosions lighting up the temporary camp they'd set up.

Seeing the incoming wave, Link set a grim face and hunched his shoulders forward. Behind him appeared the spectral form of Daruk, Champion of the Gorons. With a mighty cry, the Goron slammed his fists together creating a sharp-angled red and orange-tinted barrier around him. Against it, the Yiga's projectiles might as well have been tree seeds. Teeth pulled back in a silent snarl, Link rushed forward, not a shield in his right hand but a boomerang. He threw it with all the force he could. The weapon cleaved a yellow path through the air, impacting anything in its way. While it didn't cut, it sure did break the skin and bones of whoever was caught in its path.

As broken bodies hit the ground, magically circles formed beneath them. A few had enough time to shout in shock before a bluish-white flash covered them from head to toe. When it faded, nothing but an icy statue remained. For those Yiga who wielded the power of fire, that wasn't the case. One of them caught sight of Gremio and made a beeline for him, a flaming short blade held tightly in his hand.

There was a momentary flash, then the flames of the blade were extinguished. Link looked back and saw that Gremio had swung his sword in a wide-arc firing off not a blast if ice but of water. It extinguished the flames of his attacker, and gave him a window of time to attack. In just a few short stride Gremio was on the Yiga clansman, his blade cutting a clear path through his stomach. He dropped dead to the ground, blood coloring the ice.

Just barely narrowly did Link avoid the razor-sharp edge of a Blademaster. Link's face broke into a sneer as he parried the next attack, then the next, and then the next. Holding out his hand as the boomerang came back, he used it to stop the next attack while thrusting his sword straight for the man's chest. He felt next to nothing as the sacred sword plunged through him, then was torn out via a sideways swing that sliced open another clansman. All thoughts pertaining to anything like mercy or control went out the window, the old warrior that he used to be had come out and was now in complete control.

Bluish-white ice was quickly becoming painted red with blood, the blood of both Gerudo, Hylians, humans, and Yiga. Yunobo and his fellow Gorons were handling themselves well, having taken up a defensive position by the shore. They knew better than to go out onto the ice and risk falling through. Falling into the water was practically a death sentence.

While his heart was racing a mile a minute, Yunobo felt an odd sense of calmness. There was no doubt he was terrified, but compared to the slow and near torturous journey up Death Mountain this was…different, he felt a tad more in control. Part of that he attributed to his allies, all of whom were giving more than what he had. Something within spurred him to do as much as they were doing. His flames roared brighter, the fireballs leaving his fists larger than they had been during all of his training sessions.

Even though the fight had finally found them, Link still felt a ping of unease. As he cut and slashed his way through clansman after clansman, he began to realize that what they were doing was too easy. The Yiga knew they didn't have a chance of overpowering them, not without putting their own lives at risk and that of the prize they were all after. There had to be a separate group, perhaps further on ahead while these bastards kept them occupied. If that was the case then they had to end this scuffle as quickly as possible.

A sudden and familiar jolt raced up his spine. Immediately, his eyes began to scour the surrounding area searching for anything out of the ordinary. Besides people dying, wait, for him, that was _ordinary_ , there wasn't anything dangerous enough to tick off his senses.

To his left, a body fell to the icy floor, three arrows sticking out of his chance. He in the direction they'd likely come from-Hanifa. She shot him a flirty smirk that might have left a pink tint on his cheeks. Only when he glanced past her did he see what the instinctive jolt he'd felt seconds ago had been pertaining to.

At Hanifa's six o'clock, emerged a Yiga clansman. His mask had a cut off hole for the lips, lips that twisted into a malicious smile that told Link trouble was coming. A whistle-like object was brought to his lips, his breath moving through the instrument just as Link's mind put the pieces together.

"Hanifa! Behind you!" Screamed the Hylian.

Her smile dropped, the Gerudo archer heard the shrill sound and twisted her body around while notching another arrow. She never got the chance to fire it as the ice beneath her feet completely and utterly gave out. No, something broke through it, a pair of hands that grabbed her by the ankles and pulled down hard. Hanifa vanished in a splash of water and ice leaving a seething Link running towards a still cackling Yiga clansman.

"I wouldn't worry about me. You've got bigger things to worry about, like staying alive!" Cackled the clansman before vanishing back down into the water.

His boots slid to a stop and his body tensed up. Link knew the feeling all too well. Something was coming. Sweeping his gaze around the battlefield he noticed the Yiga gradually beginning to withdraw, even as the convoy pressed on, striking them down at first opportunity. He caught Gremio's gaze as he finished cutting down a Yiga Blademaster. His wide-eyes met Link's, they were both on the same page.

All around them, the chamber shook like massive bell being rung. Nervousness and fear began to take hold as the earth cracked and groaned under immense pressure. Hairs stood up on end and weapons were held tightly in hand.

"Hylians, Gerudo, Cornulians, know this!" Shouted a lone Yiga clansman who stood at the opposite end of the frozen lake. He appeared to look like a Blademaster, albeit his outfit was a bit more decorative perhaps indicating a higher rank. "Know this, burial here in the depths of the earth is preferable to what shall be unleashed upon the surface. Consider it a mercy that you will not live to see the return of the Great Calamity Ganon. No…our Lord Ganondorf!"

"S-Shut up!" Shouted Yunobo throwing both his arms out in a mad fire. A singular massive sphere of flames manifested then shot from his arms like a cannonball. Link was half-hoping the attack hit home and roasted the clansman alive.

 _ **SWOOSH!**_

The two halves of the attack lit up the darkness behind the traitorous warrior. Illuminated by the flames Link couldn't help but note how the upside down Sheikah eye on the man's mask seemed to glow. Looking closer, he realized certain portions of the man's entire body were glowing. It was like some sort of specialized suit of armor. Seeing it, he recalled Zaltan's statement about his country's rebels and the Yiga forming an alliance. It seemed such an alliance had borne more fruit than they'd originally thought.

All around them, the tremors grew worse; they were becoming concentrated. Darting his eyes to his left side, Link realized the cracks forming along the walls and ceiling were because _something_ was moving through the rock. Wide-eyed and teeth-gnashed, he held his hands out and summoned an Ancient Bow, his go-to-weapon when the situation called for absolute power with an equally powerful arrow notched. Link counted down the seconds until the creature burst through the rock and revealed itself to them. In stark contrast to his earlier behavior, the Yiga were now no more than an afterthought.

At last, the rock gave way, an ear-shattering roar shook the chamber. It was so great that some members of the party nearly dropped their weapons in an attempt to cover their ears. Those like Link, they remained resolute, merely readying themselves for the new threat. From the cloud of dust and rock emerged a Molduga, or at least part of one.

 _Wait a second, that's not a Molduga! It's Molgera!_ Not a second after he'd made the distinction, he let the arrow fly, a blue trail being left in its wake. His aim was true as the split-lipped monster reared back as the projectile hit home right in the eye. The Molgera reared back, its vertical jawspewing out sand and rock all over the place. Without missing a beat, Link launched three more arrows directly at the head.

The Molgera's wounded eye along with its other eye flashed red with murderous hatred. Red light spread up and down the creature's body, specifically from those portions that had metal inserts. Seeing them, Link's eyes lit up with absolute horror at the realization of what they were facing.

"Everyone, to the exits! Now! Move it!" In spite of his own words, Link himself was still trying to aim with his bow. What he was doing was near suicidal, but he was the only one with a chance of slowing down the modified Molgera. His fears were confirmed as he watched arcs of bright yellow electricity light up the beast's jaws, its _metal-lined_ jaws. First his ancient arrows hit the right-side jaws, luckily just in-between the teeth. Seeing the creature scream in pain, Link bolted to his right. Sparing a glance to the side, he saw the others were doing as he'd instructed, thankfully. Gremio was directing them as best he could after having seen what they were up against. They needed to get out of this chamber before it came down on them.

After the high-tech arrows he switched out to the bomb arrows. Explosives in such a tightly compacted place normally weren't a good idea, but the situation had drastically changed. The Molgera crashed into the frozen lake, its massive body breaking the ice and plunging half of its head into the cold water. Seeing it, the Hylian changed courses and notched a shock arrow alongside a bomb arrow. Both flew from the string of his bow toward the flailing monster. Link looked away at the resulting explosion of fire and electricity, but he kept his ears open to the sound of the creature screaming in agony.

It didn't last for long as the Molgera brought its head up, looking quite enraged as it did so. Ice shattered and water rose in all directions. Falling back into a kneeling position, Link focused his mind. Around him, the world slowed to a crawl giving him the time and precision needed to launch his next volley of arrows. They too hit the upper portion of the sand monster's jaw line, shards of metal and flesh exploded outward crashing into the lake and the walls.

Briefly, he looked back to see that a majority of his allies had made it to the other side. The scar-faced Conrulian swordsman held up his arm. "Link, hurry up!"

He turned ready to run, only to stop as he realized that the icy lake surface he'd been fighting off was now no more than a series of rapidly diminishing islands. For all intents and purposes, he seemed stranded. Pausing to look back, he saw the giant sand worm still thrashing about; it was going to bring down the whole chamber.

As with before, a spectral figure appeared behind Link, this one a Rito with navy-colored feathers. _Underground, what a lovely place for you to wonder into! Try not to die down here, it'd be a terribly poor end to our legacy!_

Link couldn't help but grin at his old comrade's words. Revali actually had a bit of a point, it would have been a tad undignified if he, the last of Hyrule's Champions died in some underground cavern system. With the help of the Rito, he rose upward on a sudden yet mighty whirlwind. His bow was dismissed and, in its place, came a Great Flameblade. _I'm really hoping I'm able to get this trick to work!_ Holding the weapon int a reverse grip, Link hit the metaphorical throttle causing the sword to become little more than a bellowing burst of fire that propelled him forward. He could see the other end of the shore and his allies coming into sight. Sweet relief flooded his system.

But then down came the ceiling.

Feeling the familiar jolt, he twisted his body so that the portal jet-engine was a sword once more. It completely and utterly incinerated the Molgera Larvae that had dropped from the rocky ceiling. Had he been a second later and one of them would have likely wrapped themselves around his body and brought him down.

The Hylian began to descend towards the water, but a lingering current kept his suspended. A mental note was made to thank Revali for the extra help and offer up an extra prayer for him next time he visited the memorial.

He could see the shoreline, just a few more seconds and he was there.

 _ **POOP!**_

"Gotcha, you filthy Hylian bastard!" Cackled a maniacal voice that made Link's heart skip a single beat. Right in front of him stood a Yiga Blademaster, a Windcleaver held tightly in his hands and pulled back. One swing of it and Link knew he was going to be in pain, and in this situation that was all death needed to punch out his ticket. His mind raced with calculations and counterattacks in the span of seconds.

Yunobo came out of nowhere, at least from Link's perspective. His massive stony body slammed hard into the Blademaster just as he was ready to attack. Beneath his heavy weapon, the swordsman was rendered near completely immobile. When his flaming fists came down, the clansman could only give muffled screams as his bones were broken and his flesh burnt. Three quick punches and Yunobo turned his attention to Link. Without a moment's hesitation, he waded into the water, arms outstretched. Link never thought the big and often sweaty palm of his Goron friend could feel so good.

Yanking him out of the water, Yunobo turned back to Gremio and the others, only to find that things had changed in the short seconds he'd mounted an emergency rescue. "N-No! No! We're trapped in here!"

Behind them, the Molgera was thrashing about while charging up its jaws. Link knew they didn't stand a chance of surviving if they stood and fought. His eyes searched the rocky surface until he spied a small hole to his right. "There! Smash through the debris over there!" With the same drive as he'd used to save his life, Yunobo surged forward, his fists alight with fire and smashing apart the rumble obstructing the cave entry. As soon as it was clear he rushed through with Link following shortly after him. He could feel the hairs on the back of his neck beginning to stand up curtsy of the monster behind him; it was gaining on them.

The two of them kept on running even as the tremors continued, it was because the tremors were continuing that they kept on running. Yunobo let out a startled cry that raised the alarm bells in Link's head, and brought him back to a level of rational thinking. It saved him from falling off the same ledge that his Goron friend had toppled off of.

Thankfully, it wasn't a massive drop, only some ten feet or so. "Yunobo? Yunobo?" Called the Hylian. "Are you alright? Are you hurt?"

There was a brief groan before his voice came back. "Uh, I've got a few bruises and I'm pretty sure I'm out of magical power…but I think I'm okay! I-I mean I'm not dead or anything! That's a good thing, right?"

Link's left knee hit the ground. "Yeah…yeah…it is." At that moment, his heartbeat began to return to a normal rhythm. The entire time it'd been beating at a mile at minute to the point where it seemed ready to explode. _Been a while since I've had excitement like that. Almost a whole month._ At the very least he could put one piece of his anxiety to rest. They'd finally gotten heat, but he had no idea of the cost. Hanifa's face and voice flashed across his mind. _Dammit all! Not again!_ His fist slammed against the dirt, there was little to no pain at all. Either she'd bene crushed to death instantly or she was still back there, trapped under tons of rumble with nothing but a rampaging Melgera and its offspring. All because he'd been too slow.

"Uh…Link, are you…you're not hurt, are you? I-I mean y-you pushed yourself awfully hard back there so…"

Hearing the worried voice of Daruk's grandson reminded Link that while he may have failed one person, he still had others counting on him. "I'm…I'm good. A little banged up, but I'm good." Peering over the ledge, he jumped down; his landing was naturally far more graceful than Yunobo's. "I'm going to try to get in contact with Gremio and his group. Find out where they are and where we are."

"Good idea. I have-huh?" Reaching to his waist, he pulled out a circular devise that seemed to be peeping. "Wh-What the…we're…we're close?"

"Uh? What do you mean close?"

Yunobo pointed to his Sheikah Slate, which had remained fasten to his waist. The first thing that came up was the radar that had been installed. It had been attuned to pick up the energies given off by the magical stones native to Cornulia. They'd been following those signals up until the fight. Now, that signal was beeping strong. Link looked ahead of them. Rather than complete darkness, a number of shimmering crystals dimly lit up their path. He looked to Yunobo.

"I-I'm ready! I-I mean I can still complete the mission. That…is the plan, right?" Questioned the Goron.

"It…is." Admitted the Hylian. "You lead, I'll try to contact Gremio and the others."

He hoped that wherever the other half of their party were, they were safe. Provided he was awake, Gremio was most likely doing a hand count. Link shuddered to think about how many besides Hanifa they'd lost back there. Biting his lip, he brought up the com-line that they'd established at the beginning of the mission. So far, all he was getting was static, not even scattered chatter from the other end.

 _ **BING! BING! BING! BING!**_

"Um, Link? We have a…um…I think we're on the right track."

Looking up from his Sheikah Slate, the first thing that caught Link's attention was the ruby-red gemstone that Yunobo was holding in his hands. It glowed with a flame-like radiance; it took him a full second to realize it wasn't just his eyes, the stone really was glowing like fire. Stepping closer, he examining the gemstone that was seemingly plucked from the ground. Yunobo pointed ahead, Link followed his gaze.

Directly ahead of them lay more gemstones, all of differing colors, but each one glistening with mystical light. Looking to the radar in Yunobo's other hand, Link whistled.

"You're right. We are on the right track, now let's hope the Yiga haven't gotten to that mine before us."

It was amazing how little faith he had in his own words.

* * *

 _ **Gerudo Town, afternoon…**_

"Hey, you think somewhere out there the Dark Mirror still exists?"

Zelda looked up from her history book with a surprised expression. "Dark Mirror? Pardon me, Riju, but I thought it was the Mirror of Twilight. I believe it was broken eons ago by a princess from another realm."

"But not before the Hero of Twilight jumped through to join her on the other side." Riju countered.

The blonde titled her head. "I…don't think that's how the story ended. Though I think they might have found each other in the end. If you don't mind me asking, what brought about this line of thought?"

Riju slammed shut the history book in front of her then leaned forward with her chin on her head. "Well, the lost caravan got me thinking about what other mysteries are out there waiting to be unearthed. I can't help but be a little curious, even if they do lie outside of my domain. But not _yours_."

Zelda could actually understand where her red-headed counterpart was coming from, quite well actually. Growing up, she too had possessed a longing to see the world behind the walls of Hyrule Castle. Not even a hundred years had been enough to stifle the dream. What was doing a good job of it was being cooped up in the Gerudo royal library with "homework". For her, it was verging on annoying.

For Riju, it was slightly more serious. Link and his party had left at the end of the morning, going on over three hours ago with absolutely no word back. It would have been a bold-faced lie to say that she wasn't worrying. Whenever Link went out a part of her tended to worry; now the feeling was worse given the details of his latest assignment. Sure, he possessed the skills and willpower to face down any threat, but that still didn't put her heart at complete ease. She'd done her best to mask it, but cracks had begun to show as the day dragged on.

Zelda had begun to notice those cracks. Her heart immensely ached for her fellow monarch. "Riju, would you like to continue our studying…perhaps, outside?"

"You mean in a nice afternoon sun instead of this boring old library? Zelda, why didn't you say something earlier!"

Laughing in delight, the two queens jumped up from their seats, their arms stretching upward. While silent and neutral on the subject, even the guards assigned to the pair couldn't help but chuckle. The Gerudo knew their queen well, and were beginning to take a liking to their high queen as well. This included Buliara, who herself was looking forward to getting some nice fresh air before night fell.

The Gerudo Royal library had been built well over two centuries ago; even Lady Urbosa had noted it to be "old" by the time she ascended the throne. In spite of that, the massive four-story building still possessed a sort of majestic air to it. Perhaps age played a part in that majesty, Riju certainly thought so. She'd heard growing up that a number of men had been caught attempting to sneak in to study some of the ancient texts they had stashed away. Most of the stories had been comedic, told to her as bedtime stories for her to laugh about in her sleep. The other portion…hadn't been, possessing ends that were more on the ominous and outright nightmarish side.

In the time since its construction, a number of renovations had been made to the building. One of them was an outside patio reserved solely for the use of Gerudo Town's upper ranks. In other words, the likes of Riju and Zelda. Stretched out before them lay the expanse of Gerudo Town, its reconstruction well under way and nearing completion. It was actually quite a stunning sight.

"So…how do you think the expedition is going?"

It was only a matter of time before one of them broached the topic. Given her slight assertiveness it figured that Riju was the one to do it.

Looking at her, Zelda could sense more than just a passing anxiety emitting from her fellow monarch. She couldn't quite put her finger on it, but it seemed as if she were taking the mission…personally.

"Right about now…I'm sure they're at least underground, and I'm hoping that they're all safe."

Riju sighed, hanging her head low with her hands on her hips. She marched up to the railing. "Do you think it'd be…strange or un-queenly of me to try contacting them? As in trying to make a personal call?"

"To Link?"

Faster than she thought, the green-eyed girl snapped her head in Zelda's direction. A mixture of awe and slight fear swirled inside of her as she became the target of a gaze she could only describe as analytical. It was far from a comfortable feeling.

"L-Let me try rephrasing that. A-Amongst them is a woman named, Hanifa, one of your best archers, yes? I was referring to her."

Realizing what she'd done, Riju's shoulders slackened. "Sorry about that. I…I…" Her mind scrambled to form a believable lie not just for Zelda but fore the guards stationed within earshot. "I just don't want to be known as the queen who got Hyrule's last Champion killed. It'd be quite embarrassing, wouldn't it?"

Placing a hand on the redhead's shoulder, Zelda laughed in good humor. "I actually think the blame for such a thing would fall on me and not you. After all, I am the high queen of Hyrule. Whatever evils befall the kingdom, they will and must be meant by me first and foremost. That's the kind of ruler my father and grandfather were, and it's the kind that I want to become as well."

" **Ah, so you wish to become a failure as well. I am pleased to see the apple has not fallen far from the tree."**

Both queens went wide-eyed at the unfamiliar voice. In unison, they turned their heads in a single direction, toward the table where their books lay. Setting there, spear shafted into the ground stood a figure unlike any either girls had ever seen, in their lifetimes. They had seen it in history books and old drawings.

The dark brown bodysuit with black shoulder guards and boots with golden piercing stood out in sharp contrast to the bone-white mask that adorned the face. Or lack of a face, it possessed no bottom jaw yet a distinctive male chuckle could be heard coming from the entity. It looked to the two of them, a pair of glowing yellow eyes cackling with naked malice. Though it possessed no mouth, the two queens could tell it was smiling.

" **What, Riju? No words for your former king come back from the dead?"** Jested the skull-faced creature now standing up. Displayed upon his chest as proud as any other native was the blood-red crest of the Gerudo.

"N…N…No…no…no…no…no…no…no!" Screamed Zelda, infectious fear enveloping her heart nearly driving her to her knees.

Riju held a different reaction. _It's…it's…it's…his…his…his…_

Buliara and the guards were upon the intruder in a splint second, their weapons cleaving through the air in a single direction. They hit nothing but wood creating a mess of the table.

As pieces of wood and paper flew into the air, Riju and Zelda stood near the railing, dumbfounded on what they'd just seen. Their brains were struggling to comprehend it, accept it, their hearts working to do the opposite.

In the midst of their fear-ridden state, the phantom reappeared behind them, nimbly balancing himself atop the railing. The bandages around his three-pronged spear had fallen away revealing the gleaming steel blade.

" **The true king of the Gerudo…has returned."**

Mercilessly, the blade was swung, its sharp edge slicing through the air toward Zelda's neck.

* * *

 **CLIFFHANGER!**

 **I'm sure that ending came as a surprise to you all, didn't it? Now, I don't think I need to explain who the "surprise guest" at the end of this chapter was, or why his appearance is causing everyone to (rather rightly) start pissing themselves. What's Phantom Ganon doing in a story post Ocarina of Time? How'd he sneak past all of Gerudo Town's defenses? Have the Yiga already begun the resurrection of their master? Will Link arrive to save the day? Those are the questions you're probably asking…and they'll have to wait until next chapter!**

 **To be honest, next chapter is going to be a bit of a "boss fight" chapter since Link will have a very big battle of his own in the depths of the underground while Riju has to deal with a blast from the unwanted past in her own backyard. I chose to go with the Melgera from WW since it fit in the arc's underground tone a bit more than its sand-swimming cousin a tad more. Albeit, as you could guess from the description, the Melgera Link fought has been modified. Given Breath of the Wild's loose take on the timeline I'm going to be drawing from a few different games for certain details of this story. The first of many "new creations" he and the heroes will have to contend with. The next chapter should be out within the next week or so! In the meantime, leave your thoughts in the comments!**


	7. Chapter 7-Terror in the Light

**Welcome back, everyone, to the next installment of this little story here. Sorry about the month-long absence as I had some things I had to do. Anyways, let's tie up the little cliffhanger I left you all with last chapter…and crack open the lid on several new plot lines!**

 **I do not own anything.**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 7-Terror in the Light**_

 _ **KLANG!**_

"R-RIJU!"

The young Gerudo threw caution and reason to the wind as she dashed for the flame-eyed figure, her knife drawn back and ready to carve through flesh. Riju could practically feel herself salivating at the thought, the image of cutting up the inhuman entity that had so rudely interrupted their evening. And delivered such a painful and unnerving shock to all of the Gerudo…and Hyrule at large.

Somehow, the young chieftain had managed to parry the horizontal blow that had been aimed at Zelda's neck; it would have cleaved her head clean off her shoulders had Riju not acted. She did so on sheer impulse, exactly what was driving her now. Nothing resembling fear or calculated thought bounced around in her mind, only a near maddening desire to slay the monster before her. Yes, monster, that was the only fitting description Riju had for what stood before her eyes. Very few in Hyrule would have disagreed with her summarization.

She knew that her odds of victory were slim to none in defeating the demon, but she was going to try. The Gerudo blood in her veins screamed for her to slash and hack, she listened to them, let them guide her. They carried her arms as she wildly swung, her blade flashing silver with streaks of lime green following after it. Bold as her attacks were, they were also easily deflected, the last one hurling her backwards, her muscles aching and her ears ringing with the sound of steel. Riju gnashed her teeth as she felt her body fly backwards, only to meet something firm behind her. The young Gerudo didn't have to look up to realize that one of her guards had caught her, and was now trying to carry her away.

"Get Lady Riju and Zelda out of here, NOW!" Bellowed Buliara running at the phantom with her sword raised high and ready. Several others were joining her in rushing toward the demon, who looked as clam and collected as could be.

Riju twisted her head about just in time to see the tendrils of dark energy swirling about the specter's three-pronged spear. Her hair stood on end as she recognized the tingling in the air. Though almost two years had passed since she and Link had freed Vah Nabooris, Riju still remained the taint that had polluted her people's Divine Beast. True, she'd only been on the outside instead of the inside like Link, who'd been forced to confront the corruption from within, but Riju could still feel it through the wind and lightning. It was raw and unnatural, corruption, rot, _evil_. Riju had seen bursts of red and even purple-tinged lightning when Nabooris' motions ceased; Link had told her as the battle with the Thunderblight had reached its climax the creature had drawn on some of its creator's power.

That power was right before her eyes, swirling and massing in a spear almost taller than her. A scream rose in her mouth as her green eyes scoured the rooftop. She spotted Zelda; she looked scared out of her mind, yet Riju could see the fires of resolve returning to her as she held her arms out, golden light shimmering around them. Silently, Riju prayed that the Goddess of Power would bless the Hylian royal, if for the sake of the people of Gerudo Town more than either of them.

The spear was swung, and with it came a wave of darkness that literally blinded the eyes of the guardians and royals assembled atop the porch. That brief moment of total darkness was absolute bliss compared to what came next-pain, pure and unfiltered pain that rocked every corner of their bodies. It numbed all of their senses from sight to hearing to the trained sixth sense of the warriors presented; just before they all went out each sense sent something back-agony and horror.

Total darkness wasn't any better then seeing Ganondorf's ghost, in fact, it might have been worse. The brief numbing of their senses came to an end; of course, their hearing returned first. What they heard was the phantom's laughter, the deep and mocking laughter of a ghost from a dead past that everyone was attempting to move on from. It felt almost like the blast was a declaration of rebellion, defiance. This phantom refused to fade away and be forgotten about; it would remind them of the terror of the King of Evil form beyond the grave. So far, it was doing a damn good job of doing that.

As quickly as it all began, it ended, or at least it did for Riju. One minute, she felt her body moving at rapid speeds, then it suddenly stopped. It wasn't painless; in fact, the pain served to drag her mind back into the waking realm. One bloody eye opened followed by another. Through red-tinged eyes she looked back into malicious candle-like orbs that glowed from within dark sockets. It was tempting to say that they lacked a soul, but Riju had learned that a soul didn't necessarily have to contain things like compassion or humanity. Sometimes, they could simply be pitch-black. She felt that's exactly what she was staring into as Phantom Ganon held her by the throat and hoisted her into the air. Immediately, she kicked and clawed at the specter's hand, but it was all for naught. She was powerless, and completely open to attack.

Sweat and blood trickling down her brow, she glanced around her in a desperate attempt to find anything she could use. Smoke rose and fanned out as flames were eating away at the bookshelves, books, and wooden infrastructure of the library. Around her lay the groaning and partially burnt bodies of her bodyguards and one Zelda. She was slowly but steadily getting to her knees and hands, her hand undone and singed curtsy of the blast. Phantom Ganon sneered at the sight. In the blink of an eye he'd moved from his original position over to Zelda. His right boot came down directly atop her back.

"Gargh!" Screamed the blonde, blood spurting from her mouth as pain gripped her backside in an iron-like lock.

"No!" Her anger manifested in the twisting and snapping bolts of emerald-colored lightning in her right hand. Said hand instinctively went for the phantom's bone-skinned face. It never reached him as his own hand shot to her wrist, grabbing it and locking her arm in place. There was a squeeze that caused Riju to groan in discomfort; that wasn't enough, the phantom squeezed harder causing the young redhead to scream in pain. After that, the phantom laughed and moved onto the next stage of its assault-throwing her like some sort of child's toy.

Everything rushed past her as the pain in her throat and wrist paralyzed her. One would have called it luck that she didn't slam into anything, she just began to gradually descend and skid against floor before she finally hit something solid. Immediately, she recognized it to be the railing. How it was still standing she had no idea, but she wasn't complaining. It was probably the only thing that had kept her from going over the edge of the building. Not wasting in time, Riju tried to rise, her arms and legs aching and her skull ringing from the earlier beating. Though hazy-eyes, she spotted the phantom, mystical energy cackling around his spear. Hearing the dark chuckle, Riju put the pieces together and immediately steeled herself.

Several cackling bolts of energy came shooting at Riju, all with the capability to either cripple or kill her. Eyes focused and her heart roaring, Riju called forth the inherited magic that pulsed through her veins. Throwing her arms out, a barrier of cackling lightning bolts appeared around her, shielding her from the oncoming attacks. Her fingers curled causing the lightning to not so much deflect as absorb the attacks, the energy drawn and ready to be used at her deposable. Riju uncurled her fingers, pushing the energy outward; countless empowered bolts of lightning surged toward Phantom Ganon.

From the tip of his spear came a swirling vortex of black and yellow. Seconds later and it surged forward as a blast of twisting wind. Out of reflex, Riju jumped to the right, watching narrow-eyed as the railing was blown away. Just as she readied herself for some sort of counter attack her senses roared at her, screaming for her to get her guard up. That's what she did, and it got her numbed arms curtsy of the frontal kick to her forearms. Her teeth gnashed as she kept from screaming in pain. She did so when her guard was broken and a hard fist was driven into her stomach. Riju felt all the air go out of her before she was again find herself being grasped by the throat. This time, she didn't have enough strength to immediately retaliate.

"Let her go! Now!" Came the shrill yet certainly angered voice of the Queen of Hyrule. Casually, the phantom turned to face the barely-standing monarch. The light bow in her hands was barely holding together and the light arrow she had notched at him was flickering in and out of existence. "Ganon! Release here, now! Do it or so help me I will remove your head from your shoulders!"

" **Interesting threat, but forgive me for not finding it frightening."** Snarked the phantom before cocking his head to the side. **"You're a afraid of me.** _ **Still**_ **afraid of me."**

"Let her go!" Barked the bloody-lipped queen. Beside her, the Gerudo guardians had reassembled and were now looking ready to tear the phantom apart with their bare hands.

Said phantom found it amusing, so much so that he couldn't help but laugh.

There was a single twirl of the three-pronged spear before its tip came down into the ground. Mere seconds later and the ledge exploded sending gusts of air and shrapnel flying in all directions. Riju, Zelda, and the guards were forced to avert their eyes least they end up permanently blinded by the shower. For those on Zelda's side, they had more to worry about as a storm-like gale hit them hard and fast without any warning. All Riju could hear were their startled grunts and cries of pain. The next thing she knew, she and the phantom were moving through the air. Strength returned to her allowing for her to claw at the hand holding her by the neck. Nothing but amused laughter slipped from the lone jaw of the specter.

"Let me go, now!" She futilely shouted.

A lone candle-like eye peered at her. Surprisingly, her request was granted. The young Gerudo could taste blood in her mouth as she went rolling across the rooftop. It felt as if her brain was going to either explode inside her skull or liquify from all the pounding.

 _ **Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!**_

" **Got your attention, did it?"** Chuckled the phantom, resting its spear on its shoulders. The tip still cackled with power from the five-shot volley it'd launched. Smoke and flames were rising from each of the targets-buildings, buildings with people in them. **"I must say, this place sure has changed a great deal since my time. You've done well…Riju."**

Twisting arcs of lightning danced around the chieftain as she rose to her feet. Most of her gold jewelry had been cracked and the long braid that her hair had been done up in was beginning to come undone. Violent hatred burned in her eyes as she directed her gaze toward the masked creature before her. A splint second pasted, then the lightning erupted scattering bolts across the rooftop. Riju's eyes glowed bright green and her arms were thrown out, the lightning following her lead and racing toward Phantom Ganon as it'd done before. With a huff, the specter deflected the blast. Then he realized that Riju was now longer standing across from him, she was crouching in front of him. Her right hand tightened into a fist that was immediately launched upward.

Phantom Ganon whistled as he watched the uppercut morph into an upward torrent of lightning. Quickly responding, he swung his spear from the right, expecting blood to spew from an open wound. Instead, the weapon bounced off of the electrical aura that now surrounded the female Gerudo. Said aura condensed around her left hand, which was not a fist but an open palm with the fingers bent. It was launched forward with blinding speed.

Instead of a compressed mass the lighting vaguely resembled a predator's claw, five electrified claws tearing through the air and rooftop with murderous force. A grunt of pain could be heard; sweet music to Riju's ears. Stomping her foot in the ground, she dragged her left arm around taking the lightning claw with her. The attack came to a stop as it met the sharpened tip of the phantom's spear. No longer was there any amusement in his eyes, only cold focus as he twisted his weapon. The lightning claw dispersed temporarily knocking Riju off balance. Pressing the momentary advantage, the phantom thrust its palm out, a mass of cackling magical energy shooting out. Riju responded quickly as well, dropping to her back then rolling over as the spear came down ready to impale her stomach.

Emerald arcs lacing her leg, she rebounded and swung her right leg at the upper shaft of the spear. She failed to hit her target, but said target looked to her with eyes shimmering with respect before going in for another thrust. Riju managed to jump to the side just in time to avoid getting a blade run through her stomach, then dodged again gracefully avoiding the tip slicing through her exposed stomach.

 _I can't keep doing this! I need a weapon of some sort!_ Now that she'd had some time to cool down, Riju realized just how outclassed she was. But that didn't mean she was going to give up, she _couldn't_ give up. _The odds of me getting a weapon aren't high, but I…I can still try it! Just hope that it works!_ She liked to think it was an accomplishment she was able to think semi-clearly while avoiding slashes and thrusts from the dreaded Phantom of Ganon. But it couldn't last for long, Riju knew at some point she was going to trip up and when she did the cost was going to be great. That left her with only one option-evening the odds.

Somehow, either by luck or misfortune, she'd ended up near the edge. One well-timed attack and Riju would go off the edge, down five stories and she'd either be dead or a broken splat on the ground. Such a chance the phantom couldn't possibly pass it up. Her intuition proved right as the specter took up a position ideal for a thrust. Riju didn't smile in spite of the set-up being ideal for what she wanted, she needed all of her concentration.

Wind whistled as the steel spear was thrust forward, its aim being Riju's chest.

The burst came from her hands, the electrical threads connecting then fanning out into a massive net before Riju. Within seconds they all jumped to the spear, the metallic blade stopping dead in its tracks catching its wielder off-guard. Fingers curling, the young woman let out a roar of primal effort. The air cackled, then the pulse exploded outward. The spear was wretched from Phantom Ganon's hand, propelled by the magnetic force it flew backwards, finally disappearing on over the opposite side of the building. Again, Riju's fingers flexed in and out. The lightning flashed blinding the Phantom for a brief second.

 _Now, I'll end this once and for all!_ Riju raised her hand, all of her fingers laid flat and aimed at the chest. Lightning condensed around the hand and left a trail as she thrusted her arm forward. _Flesh or specter, your time in this world is done, you traitorous bastard!_

This time, it was Riju's hand that stopped. The lightning continued to cackle and dance around it.

" **A diversion followed by a straight forward attack. Hm, most would bank on a surprise attack instead of a frontal deathblow like this. Commendable, but not enough, young one."** Growled Phantom Ganon as fear raced through Riju's eyes. **"Now, allow me to show you the** _ **true**_ **power of the Gerudo! The power that you were born to inherit!"** Near effortlessly, he pulled, dragging Riju off her feet and lifting her into the air. Then Riju came back down, back-first. A gasp for air left her painted lips. The phantom laughed hearing it. As she slowly began tor recover he tightened his grip on the young monarch's right hand. A wide scream flew from Riju's lips, no doubt carrying across the block and horrifying those who heard it. **"I believe we deserve some privacy, don't you think? After all, this is a family talk."** Waving his free hand, the phantom manifested a massive wall of dark yellow and black. Beyond it the outside world became little more than a blur of fading and shifting shapes.

Blood trickling down her lips, Riju leveled her gaze at the specter that had so rudely interrupted her afternoon. "All…you…and I share…is a race, nothing more!"

" **But surely you know once I was king of the Gerudo, much in the same way you are to one day be queen."** Calmly retorted the masked entity.

"I looked through my family's records! You and I share no such familial relationship! All you are is a relic of a long-forgotten era! A ghost who lingers on for no other reason then to spread pain and misery, even to your own people!" Shouted back the redhead with burning eyes. "Link already slew you, so just go back to the underworld and leave the rest of us to be!"

" **You expect me to leave when my people need me now more than ever?"** Playfully snapped the phantom cocking its head to the side. The flash of fear and doubt in Riju's eyes didn't go unnoticed. **"Yes, what the Gerudo need now is a strong ruler, one who will lead the way to the future. Times are changing, and so too must the Gerudo change if they expect to survive. Of course, change is never painless. You know that, don't you, Riju? It was painful, wasn't it? Learning how to live on your own, make your own way without the aid of your mother or father or any other familial relative. The loss made you strong and resilient, but you still have a ways to go. I'm going to help you with that, my child."** Holding out his left hand, the specter magically summoned back his spear. The weapon twirled once, then it was pulled back, its blade gleaming and reflecting Riju's wide and fearful eyes. **"With pain comes strength, so allow me to give you some pain to allow you to grow."**

The spear was swung. Riju could have screamed, but her pride kept her mind shut. All she did instead was close her eyes and pray it would be over quickly. She didn't dare want to dwell on the specter's final words, about how pain brought strength.

* * *

"Link? Uh, Link, are you okay?"

To be frank, Yunobo himself could feel that something was wrong, or more wrong than they already were. They were miles beneath the surface in a deep dark network of caves with monsters and murderous traitorous ninja hunting them for a long lost treasure that could change the balance of power in the land. Ever since the attack that had separated them, both the Goron and Hylian had felt an uncomfortable tingle in the back of their spines. Without warning, the tingle became a near gnawing sensation.

Slowly, the Hero of the Wild turned to face the blue-eyed Goron. "I…I…I honestly don't know. I really don't, Yunobo." What scared him was how he didn't even try to put on a brave front for the Goron like he usually would. Right in front of him, he allowed his hand to move to his heart. Link could feel it drumming against his chest. _This feeling…why…why does it seem so familiar? Why does it feel like I'm standing before the reaper himself, waiting for the scythe swing?_ His mind was a growing whirlwind of thoughts, worry lacing each and every one of them. Shutting his eyes, he attempting to calm the storm. "Let's just keep on going. We've still got a single right, so that must mean that the caravan should be close."

"You can tell that by the air." Muttered the Champion descendent. "The air, I can feel it cackling with magical power the deeper we go."

"So can I, which confirms my guess. Yunobo, from this point on, be ready for anything." Warned the Hylian, receiving a firm nod from the Goron.

They'd been walking for what felt like an hour, going on two. The journey had been quiet, and that's what scared the both of them. Along their way they'd come upon larger and more luminous magical crystals, all of which illuminated their path. All that did was make the two feel even more uneasy. Link looked at them all, his eyes analyzing every detail. Yunobo chimed in saying that they could have stopped and plucked an entire wall's worth of gems, it would have been enough for them to not work for the rest of the year, or two or three. Hearing that didn't make Link feel any happier, in fact, it worried him.

In response to Yunobo's words he began to more intensely study the walls. If what Yunobo said was try then what they were walking through was a tunnel full of quick money-makers. It answered the lingering question of where the Yiga were getting their funding, them and the rebels from Cornulia. If they'd discovered not just the lost caravan but the these tunnels as well then they had almost three-fifths of what they needed to mount an armed rebellion against either kingdoms. The fact they hadn't one might have said was a good sign.

But Link wasn't optimistic enough to believe in such good fortune. His hand stretched out and ran alongside the walls and crystals that stuck out from them. They reacted to his benign magical energy, glowing just a tad brighter. Inspired by him, Yunobo did the same, his mouth freezing into an "O" shape as the glow beneath his fingertips were brighter than Link's.

"If you want, you can take some as…souvenirs I guess." Softly whispered the Hylian.

For a second, Yunobo looked tempted to do so, but he vigorously shook his head. "N-No, I-I'll do that after we've got what we came for. And after we've regrouped with everyone. Besides…if I'm gonna mine stuff like this, I wanna be able to do it with my friends."

He wasn't sure why, but the Goron's answer made Link smile. Perhaps it was the concern that Yunobo was showing for his fellow Gorons over the discovery they'd made. Such a trait reminded Link heavily of his grandfather, who'd looked after Link more than he had any reason to. Now, he could try to do the same for Yunobo, who truly could have used the support.

Though quiet, their journey through the caves hadn't exactly been a straight path. Many twists and turns and gaps awaited them. Yunobo visibly grew dizzy when they glanced over ledges to find seas of darkness sparkled with pockets of shimmering light and fields of crystals that glistened in the darkness. Of course, their tips were sharpen to the point even a Goron's stony skin could be penetrated, especially if they fell from a great height such as the ones they were walking. Link himself couldn't deny that the thought of falling to a gruesome death did briefly cross his mind. If such a thing happened, would his body become nutrients for the magical minerals to grow and harden?

Such a greasily thought actually sounded like something the Yiga would love to do. Then perhaps capture his soul in some sort of soul stone and use it for some nefarious purpose. Would he be conscious of such a thing happening to him? Would he be a prisoner in such a stone?

 _Alright, maybe that's enough what-ifs, specifically those that involve me dying or getting a fate worse than death._ Groaned the blond. His train of thought was interrupted as a series of crunching noises tickled his ear. Stopping dead in his tracks, he looked up. "Um, Yunobo?"

To the Goron's credit, he had the graces to look embarrassed as Link stared at him. He nervously laughed while holding up a chunk of rock. "S-S-Sorry, I, um, I got a bit hungry and just couldn't help myself. Pretty disgraceful after I gave a big speech like before, isn't it?"

Link put his fears to rest with a laugh of his own. "Hey, don't worry about it. We all have to eat at some point, especially since we're likely walking into something nasty." He noticed the stray light in Yunobo's eyes. "You've figured it out, haven't you? That we haven't encountered any resistance after pushing so far deep into the saves? There's only one possible explanation."

His shoulders sagged. "They're…waiting for us. So I…"

Reaching out, he pushed the giant hand forward. "Eat up, because you're going to need the energy, Yunobo. As a matter of fact, I'll join you."

It wasn't quite how they planned on having their lunch break, but it was what needed to be done. Besides, they'd also spent a considerably amount of time walking and jumping which had exhausted some energy. They needed to replenish it. All throughout the while the cold sensation along their backs never faded, remaining steady. Neither spoke of it, but both the Hylian and Goron knew that once their journey continued, they'd likely have to face the source of the uneasy.

After their short rest had ended, they continued on, finding silence and sparkles awaiting them. At least up until their slates began to ping.

"Link."

"Yep, what we're looking for is on the other side of this wall." Solid rock lay before them, as pristine as nature could make it. Sadly, it didn't look like there was any other way forward: no cracks they could squeeze through or such or alternates paths in visible sight. At best, they'd have to turn around and take perhaps the second or third turns they'd taken to arrive at this point. That wasn't an option. "Yunobo, think you can drill through something like this?"

Already, the young Goron was getting his equipment set up. His modified Drillshaft fired up, his hard face fitting the rumbling gears within the machine. "Definitely. Stand back though. Oh, and you might wanna cover your ears, this is going to be kinda loud."

 _That means if there's anyone on the other side they're going to know we're coming. So much for stealth and getting the drop on the enemy._ Link held out his hand. "Got another one of those?"

Together, they began to drill their way through the rock, sweat rapidly collecting along their respective brows. Dirt rock and crystal fragments flew outward as the pair gradually dug deeper and deeper. Teeth gnashed both felt the cold chill in their spines return with full force. It was their way of telling them to be on guard. The closer they got to the other end the greater the feeling became. Whatever was waiting for them on the other side was not going to be friendly, that much they knew. That was the reason why Link kept himself at the ready, for when they finally reached the other side. Something was going to attack them, and if not that cut off their newly created route of escape. Link simply hoped that they would have enough room to fight or at least put up some defenses.

At their sides, their Sheikah Slates began to ping almost nonstop. Link and Yunobo paused and looked at one another, their faces grim. The Hylian moved to go first, but the Goron shook his head. He would be the first one out, and to face whatever lay on the other side. Teeth gnashing and his face set, the young Goron pushed onward, his drill continuing to roar.

Then it came to a stop on the other end.

"H-H-H-H-Holy, b-b-b-by the G-G-G-Great Darunia's hammer!"

Noting the air of surprise in his voice, Link quickly followed after Yunobo, his mind racing with thoughts of what he'd find on the other end of the tunnel. Light blasted his eyes yet he went on ahead, his feet and hands pushing him out of the newly created tunnel. He came out alongside Yunobo, and his mouth dropped as well.

"U-U-U-Um…L-Li…Link…w-w-were w-w-we s-s-supposed t-t-to find s-s-something like this?"

He was tempted to say yes, but he'd been hoping he'd be wrong.

Before leaving for the quest, he'd studied up on magical stones. Over time, some of them had a tendency to release magical particles that alchemically altered the surrounding terrain into something more…fantastical. He and his Goron friend were standing at one such fantastical terrain, not a dark cave hosting a single broken down caravan, but a giant crystalline chamber from which hundreds of colored lights shimmered all around them. Shades of brown were few and far between as it seemed even the ground on which the pair stood on had been crystallized as well. Yunobo fell to his knees, his hands spreading out and his jaw dropping as he felt the magically energy beneath him. Link did so as well, but his attention was focused on something else.

At the center of the gigantic chamber stood a crystal spire made up of multiple colors, multiple magic stones. It was like a giant rainbow in crystal form, like something from an ancient story book or legend. Except this was real, it was right in front of him waiting to be touched. What would it feel like to touch such an object? Would it be cool or warm? Would power flow into him? From where he was standing, he could tell the spire held immense power, power that hundreds would have killed to get their hands on.

"We…we hit the mother load! I-I mean I was expecting just a little ore deposit to be honest, but not this!" Yunobo shouted, his eyes dancing with starlight. "L-Link, w-w-we're going to need maybe a week to mine all of this! Just think about what'll happen once we get topside and tell everyone!"

"Yeah, that's what worries me." Answered the Hylian. Without warning, his eyes enlarged and his gaze swerved to his backside, "Yunobo, move, now!"

Rather than question him, the Goron followed his command without a moment's hesitation. Together, they leaped forward, going into dual rolls that had them moving across the shiny floor just as the rocky wall behind them exploded into a storm of fire and debris. Naturally, Link came up in a combat position, his bow at the ready and arrows notched. The second he saw a red eye glow he let fly the high-tech arrow followed by another. Explosions lit up the smoke, fragments of metal and flesh were blown out showing that the arrow at hit something. Not wasting any time, Link fired another.

 _ **SLISH!**_

A scowl grew along the Hylian's face watching the two halves of his arrow fly into the ground.

"Followed us all the way here, huh?" Link shot with dark eyes.

"Well, it's exploration part of what you 'heroes' do? All we did was merely take advantage of your natural impulse. Is that a crime?" It was without a doubt the same Blademaster from before. This time, he was trying to sound innocent.

That just ticked Link off even more. "Committing high treason is."

"Ah, so betrayal is a crime? Then tell me, where was the compensation for what your pale-skinned bastards did to us? When you tossed us aside after we worked so hard for you!? Gave you our greatest inventions only for you to use them against us!" Barked the Blademaster holding up a trembling hand that morphed into a tight fist.

Yunobo held up his drill in a threatening motion only to be held back by Link. Barely. "I'd love to sit here and debate history with you, but I'm sure we both have more pressing things to do. For example, I have an appointment I'd like to make."

"As do I, see, I have a quota to meet as well. I'm sure my partner has no doubt begun to meet his." Fired back the Yiga warrior. "As for this lovely little chamber, this…beauty, worry not, we'll be taking it off of your hands, Hylian."

Link laughed. "You've got it backwards, technically speaking, everything here belongs to Queen Zelda and Prince Zaltan."

The Yiga clanman laughed. "Actually, I don't believe it does. After all, right about now they're likely no longer of this world."

 _That_ caught Link and Yunobo's attention. Impulse took over carrying both explorers forward, their weapons ready to tear into the enemy. Yunobo's face was one of open fury while Link's was composed. He'd mastered his emotions, to an extent. The Master Sword was already half-way out of his sheath, it target was the Yiga Blademaster's neck.

Sadly, it never reached him. Whoever this Yiga clansman was, Link had to admit he had some level of skill. Few could block his quick-draw slash, and fewer could react fast enough to his follow-ups, all of which were aimed at severing the man's body parts. Sparks flew from the collision of the Master sword and the single-edged blade. Link wished he could see beyond the mask of the clansman, at least it would allow him to gauge the ability of who he was fighting. Briefly, peered to the right finding Yunobo practically slamming into the rest of the Yiga ninjas. He was making a glorious mess of things, just enough to keep them distracted and from advancing deeper into the chamber.

"Thank you for ringing the dinner bell, it's exactly what we needed." Chuckled the clansman throwing Link off. Narrow-eyed, the Hylian swung with all his mind, hellbent on opening a bloody gash in the traitor's chest. All he got was a puff of smoke and red paper talismans.

Anger and confusion swelled up in Link. Beside him, Yunobo looked around with the latter being dominant in his eyes. "U-Um, L-L-Link…I-I gotta a bad feeling about this."

He knew Yunobo was right on the mind as he had a bad feeling too. Several seconds later and their instincts were proven right.

After so long, the earth around them began to shake. Pebbles and stalagmites fell from the ceiling crashing onto the ground. Sweat pouring down their faces, Link and Yunobo looked to one another then readied themselves. It seemed that the Yiga had indeed set a trap, just not one that either one of them had thought of. Rather than kill them themselves and mine the magical stones, they were going to let something else kill them. Something, and based on the roar, very, very hungry. Though he felt Yunobo's trembling beside him, Link noticed that the Goron was doing his best to remain firm. He wasn't rushing past the giant hole that the Yiga had made.

Right about now, it was looking somewhat appealing.

Another roar shook the crystal chamber, a series of cracks formed on the ceiling, greater in number and size than before. A giant saurian hand burst through the rock, armor plating glistening in the reflected light of the massive inner sanctum. Of course, it was larger than Link and Yunobo put together. Next came the face, a bony mask from which a pair of flame-colored eyes stared back at the pair. Seconds later and feral anger burned within the eyes and the mouth opened revealing a row of sharpen fangs waiting to shred the Hylian and Goron to pieces.

Link gnashed his teeth in return. "Well, that's definitely not what I was expecting."

"T-T-T-T-T-T-T-Th-T-Th-That's a-a-a-a-a-a G-G-G-Gemesaur!" Stammered Yunobo, his face looking drained of almost all the color. "A-A-A-A Gemesaur K-K-King perhaps!"

"A king, huh? Then I guess it's time for a dethroning." Boasted the Hylian readying himself for what was shaping up to be entire titanic battle.

His bravado took a hit when he saw colored light being emitted from the creature's jaws. Tendrils of energy swirled about and concentrated into a cackling mass of light that reminded him too much of the Guardians and their laser beams. Except unlike the robotic sentries, the energy the Gemesaur held within its mouth was wild and barely contained. What was going to come out wasn't going to be a laser beam, it was going to be a destructive wide-spread blast. Quickly, Link changed tactics and switched out his Hylian Shield for a Guardian's Shield, all while calling forth the spirit of the Champion of the Gorons.

The Hylian was proven right. What came out wasn't a laser beam but a blast of cackling energy that would have burnt the flesh from his and Yunobo's bones. Luckily, it didn't thanks to the flaming barrier that the former threw up, the spectral form of Daruk looming in front of them.

"G-G-Grandpa!" Shouted Yunobo. He'd heard that when using the abilities of the Champions, Link called forth their vintages, but this was his first time seeing it up close, and of all the people for him to call upon. Somehow, the specter heard his cry as the white-bearded Goron turned his head back and looked at him with a soft smile.

 _You've grown, so much, Yunobo._

Something ignited in the young Goron hearing the words of his ancestor. His hand went from his Drillshaft to his axe-sword. Briefly, his shoulders slumped, then his entire body tightened. Rearing his arms back, he waited until the attack ended, then hurled his dark-gray-colored weapon with all of his might. Trailing it were swirls of red and orange.

The weapon impacted with a shower of flames and bone fragments electing a sharp cry of pain from the giant lizard.

Link looked to his partner with a grin. "Nice one! I'm gonna guess its face is the weak point!"

"Attacking it there will get you further then it's body!" Shouted Yunobo catching his returning axe-sword. "Uh-oh!"

Seeing another blast coming, the two jumped to opposite sides. The hairs on their back stood up on end as the energy blast blew apart the ground they'd previously been standing on. Yunobo drew the short straw as the beam began to follow after him causing the Goron to run, panic coloring his face. Link saw it and cursed.

Looking at the mask, he knew that cracking it was going to be a tall task. Yunobo's earlier attack had left a dent, but one no bigger than his arm, a dent and nothing more. Aiming for it would have bene ideal, but he was short on time. Link notched a bomb arrow alongside an ancient arrow. First he let the bomb arrow fly, its explosive tip hitting the side of the Gemesaur; afterwards he launched the second arrow and watched the formerly black smoke become tinted blue with arcs of electricity bursting out. The Gemesaur turned to him with burning eyes, he'd succeeded in getting its attention.

There wasn't an energy beam, just an out and out lunge that brought the monster lizard out of its hiding hole. Link had to admit, the Gemesaur was quite massive, large enough that he had to really sprint to get out of the way least he ended up crushed. The ground shook as the beast finally made ground fall, the thousands of crystals around them near vibrating from the roar. Cursing, the Hylian watched some of them begin to glow with mystical light which rose from them and transformed into colored streams that flowed into the Gemesaur's mouth. What came next was a sea of sparkles emitted from the Gemesaur's back, itself a needle's nest of crystalline spikes and armored plating.

 _Oh, this is just what I needed right about now!_ Snapped the blonde Hylian taking a cautionary step back. Everything in his bones was telling him they'd just made it through the easy part. The hardest phase of the battle was about to begin, and begin it did.

It was fire that exploded from the jaws of the Gemesaur. Flames hot enough that it would have burnt Link to. He called forth Revali's spirit to avoid the attack, soaring upward while the ground he'd been standing on was charred black. Even from dozens of feet up, Link could still feel the hit, a testament to the high temperature of the flames. It solidified the fact that if he didn't act fast, he was going to be a roasted corpse, then the Gemesaur would turn its attention toward Yunobo.

Speaking of the young Goron, he was doing his best to get the giant lizard's attention. Unfortunately, he was succeeding. Nothing like repeatedly whacking at one's tail to catch a giant monster's attention. His Stone Smasher repeatedly smacked against the Gemesaur's tail, the thunderous crack echoing through the chamber. Perhaps it was Link's imagination, but the Hylian could see flames jetting out from the weapon, turning the dark gray burning red. Link knew there was definitely something off about that, not that he was complaining since it was helping them.

The Gemesaur caught onto things fasted and responded accordingly. Air exploded from the jeweled tail blasting Yunobo backward. He was off balance, wide-open. Link realized what was about to come next and notched two frost arrows which he let fly seconds later. Their impacted resulted in an icy cloud and whitish-blue sheet forming over the Gemesaur's bony mask. A fire arrow came next shattering the icy layer seconds after it was formed. The intense heat coming after the cold severed to create several noticeable cracks on the bone mask.

His attack had done more than just annoy the monster, it had enraged it as evident by the malicious glow of the gemstones on its back. The Hylian's sky-blue eyes briefly met the burning orange of the overgrown lizard, its fangs bared.

For a splint second, the gems on the monster lizard's back glowed brighter, the light spreading to the rest of the beast's body. Link's instincts flared up and warned him to preparing himself because what was coming next wasn't going to be a breath attack.

It was a full-body charge, one that would have flattened him into a bloody smear on the wall had Daruk's Protection not finished recharging, and had Link not had the common sense to activate it as soon as it did.

But even then, the Gemesaur's attack still hurt like hell.

Darkness eclipsed the Hylian's sight and hearing leaving him lost in an abyss with only one constant sensation-pain. The temptation to give up and let it swallow him whole was strong.

Just barely, was he aware of the feeling of his body hitting the ground, nearly every muscle and bone in his body aching. And yet he still rose to his hands and knees, blood dripping from his forehead and shoulders. A shadow loomed over him causing the Hylian to curse and ready himself. Thankfully, Daruk's Protection held, but he could see cracks forming in the magical barrier.

 _Just stay strong, Link! There's a way out of this! I know!_ Encouraged the phantasmal voice of the Goron Champion turning his head to the side to address him.

Link knew he was right, there was a way out of this, and he could see it clearly. While Daruk stood to his left, to his right appeared the spectral form of the Gerudo Champion, her right hand rising as the Gemesaur prepared to bring its giant paw down atop of him. A storm of lightning hit said paw at the exact right moment sending the beast reeling backward, electric shocks traveling up scaled skin. Exhausted, Link rose to his feet and summoned the last of the four Champions, the one whom he shared the most intimate connection with.

While he healed, Yunobo decided to go on the offensive. Link watched with wide-eyes as the Goron curled himself into a flaming rocky ball that slammed hard into the Gemesaur's side. Beneath the sheer force cracks formed in the armor that protected the monster's scaly skin. As with Link, the lizard roared in fury and pushed back, but Yunobo surprisingly moved faster. He launched himself upward, his ball form uncurling to reveal a cackling aura of red and orange surrounding him. Link could tell from a single glance that somehow, the Goron had absorbed some of the power from the magical stones. In fact, some of said stones had been implanted into his Stone Smasher, which was held high above his head.

The sword-like bludgeon came down with a mighty war cry from its owner, a flame-like streak of light being left in its wake.

 _ **CRAAAACKKK!**_

 _He's…gotten better, way better._

Crystal fragments the size of doors exploded in all directions accompanied by an ear-rattling howl of pain. Arguably, Yunobo's attack did more damage than Link's as the Gemsaur was now stumbling to the side. The young Goron's attack wasn't done yet as he reared his weapon back, then spun forward, his weapon still ablaze with magical energy from the embedded stones. Yet another pain-filled cry left the giant monster as it was pushed further back. It was the last time as its eyes lit up with even greater fury. Link watched Yunobo launch into a third charge, his confidence now riding high.

Seeing the icy blue light collecting in the Gemsaur's mouth. "Yunobo, stop!" Screeched the still healing Hylian realizing what was about to happen next.

An intense blast of icy energy and air burst from the creature mouth slamming straight into Yunobo, who could do nothing but stare in shock then horror at the attack. His guard went up at the last minute, but it was too late. The Goron vanished amid the icy haze that followed causing Link's heart to plummet. Within seconds he was on his feet and charging at the Gemsaur, his arms reaching back for arrows for his bow.

Instead of him, the Gemesaur was still interested in Yunobo, who was now a frozen statue helpless before the monster. It eagerly pressed its attack, ruthless smacking at the immobilized Goron with its tail sending him crashing into the right side wall. What happened next was hard for Link to accept as real, again seeming like something out of a fantasy book. Rainbow light lit up the Gemsaur's body before it launched into a spinning tackle directly toward Yunobo. Once again, the blue-dimpled Goron vanished from Link's sight as a massive hole was created things to the monster's spinning attack; the giant crack quickly turned into a rapid-growing tunnel that cleaved a oath through the rocky exterior of the crystal-covered chamber.

"No! No! No! NO!" Shouted the Hylian running as fast as his newly healed legs could carry him. He knew he had to do something or else he was going to lose Yunobo. That one thought filled him with such horror and dread that all other thoughts, his mission and his duty, disappeared from his mind entirely. Frantically, he whipped out his Sheikah Slat, a straw thought crossing his mind amidst the panic; it was the thing he was hoping would help him save Yunobo. Immediately tapping on the icon, he waited a second then grabbed at the three-clawed device, a hook shot he believed it was called. The light from the Gemesaur's tail was dimming, but it was just bright enough for Link to get a beat on it, and close enough that the three-pronged claw was able to latch onto the mace-like tail.

The road was anything but pleasant, but Link hadn't been expecting a pleasant ride. The Gemesaur was moving at a fast pace. If it kept pushing upward then there was a chance they'd reach the surface. Some would have argued in favor of letting such a thing happen as it meant freedom from the darkness of the underground, but Link didn't have that luxury. The safety of a friend was riding on the line. Gnashing his teeth and bracing himself as he was dragged along rocky earth, he summoned a Thunder Blade and held the edge to the reinforced chain that connected him to the Gemesaur. Arcs of line-green lightning raced up the metal and hit the creature's tail giving it reason to pause and roar in pain as Link wanted.

As the Gemesaur stopped, Yunobo, though still unseen, launched his counterattack. Orange and red flames exploded from the opposite end of the monster causing the entire newly tug tunnel to heat up, and shake.

Glancing upward, Link realized how poorly thought out his plan was. Looking back, he noted that if the tunnel gave out on them, he and Yunobo would be buried alive with the Gemesaur. Actually, scratch that, it would probably just dig its way out leaving them to die in the earthen darkness. Quickly, his mind began to frankly work on a plan to escape the current situation.

Without warning, the tunnel flared up like the inside of a volcano. Another thought occurred to him-being burnt to a crisp with his ashes become a part of the underground.

It seemed the Gemesaur wasn't going without a fight as its entire body began to glow, its light seemingly battling Yunobo. The collision of powers caused the not just the tunnel but the entire cave to shake. Briefly, the fear of a collapse raged against Link's mind, but he quickly and thoroughly suppressed it. Steeling himself, he slammed the flat of his electric sword against the chain of the hookshot.

Flames from the front and lightning from the rear, arguably one of the worst combinations to be on the receiving end of. In retaliation, energetic light began to build from within the crystals on the Gemesaur's back. Link saw what was coming and silently prayed that he and Yunobo would survive this ordeal with both their arms and legs intact. If not…well, he believed he could make do with one arm, or perhaps a leg. He had heard Purah was experimenting with prosthetics.

The three energy sources molded into one, and from below came a fourth source of energy. All of them mixed and ignited releasing a destructive wave that expanded outward in all directions. To the sides it sent violent tremors that shook the cave network. Upwards, on the surface, it resulted in a mighty explosion of fire, rock, and light that scattered sand and desert creatures far.

Capping it all off was the monumental flare of multi-colored magical energy that blasted its way into the skies, a signal, a beacon, for all who said it.

Times were indeed changing.

* * *

Riju was so terrified she hardly barely noticed the golden-colored beam of light shooting through the barrier until it was practically right in front of her. No, until Phantom Ganon grunted in shock and alarm at having his spear blasted out of his hands. Her heart skipped several beats as she watched the weapon spin out over the edge of the rooftop. Seconds later and her eyes went to the phantom, who looked as surprised by the whole thing as she did. His shock didn't last long as something clad in golden-light slammed into him. Hard.

Knocked off balance, the specter went skidding across the rooftop. He quickly recovered and managed to rebound just in time to avoid an earth-cracking stomp that would have broken bones. In compensation, the unknown combatant lashed out with a quick-as-a-flash uppercut; it connected in a dazzling array of light and sparkles. Riju's jaw dropped as she took in the tall and masculine figure of Zaltan Kasun stood before the phantom. He was doing battle with Ganon's specter…and doing a damn good job of holding it off.

Punches were exchanged in rapid succession, some so fast that Riju could barely keep track of them. This was the sort of hand-to-hand combat that she'd heard of, and somewhat dreamed of learning. Link had teased her with teachings of how to fight barehanded, but they never got there far. Speaking of Link, she wondered how he was doing; she hoped that he was doing better than she was.

Prince Zaltan took a direct punch to the gut that pushed him back several feet. He looked none the worse for wear as his eyes showed not burning rage but irritation. His guard was back up just in time for him to meet the phantom's flying side kick, and respond with a kick of his own. Radiant light exploded from the point of contact while the specter screamed in pain, more so than he had when Riju had landed a hit on him. A golden fist was raised and driven forward, meeting a darkness clad fist that resulted in a blinding explosion of light and darkness. Her sight temporarily unreliable, Riju was forced to rely on her ears. What she heard was the continued grunting that came with fighting.

The phantom's grunts became louder as an indicator that more of Zaltan's hits were landing. Finally, her vision returned and Riju's jaw dropped in seeing the foreign prince wasn't just holding his own, he was going on the offensive.

Tendrils of golden light coiled around the prince's hands, which balled into tight fists that were slammed forward directly at the specter's chest. Another explosive blast of light shook the rooftop and blinded Riju, though her ears were still working perfectly. They heard every piece of Phantom Ganon's pain-filled scream; though she wasn't the one causing them she certainly took relish in hearing them. All she wished is that they could have lasted longer.

Gradually, the light died allowing her to peer forward and catch a glimpse of the current situation. Prince Zaltan was sweat and visibly winded, but his efforts had not gone to waste, far from it. The revenant was standing at the edge of the roof, his right hand over his chest which now had a jagged hole whose rims burned with pale green and blue fire. One look at the wound was all a person needed to tell that the entity they were facing wasn't human in the slightest. Cracks had begun to spread across the masked face, one running straight through the candle-flame right eye that glared back and forth between the prince and chieftain. Seeing it, Riju readied herself for what was looking to be another engagement.

But it was not to be.

" **You have gathered strength here, that is good because you are all going to need it, especially you…my child."** Declared the specter in a surprisingly even and even amused tone.

Riju's temper spiked. "Don't call me that! I already have strength, more than enough to send you back to where you came from!"

There was a humorous chuckle from the phantom. **"** _ **This**_ **is where I came from, my dear little one."** To emphasis his point, he swept his arms out over the cityscape, a deep and booming laugh falling from his singular jaw. **"As I was saying, it seems you've discovered a modicum of your true power. I'm happy I was able to help."** Though wounded, the specter still had enough strength to brush off the lightning bolt that Riju launched in rage at hearing his words. Albeit, the act left its mark in the form of charred armor and flesh from which pale green embers rolled off. **"Keep growing that power inside of you, the power that this harsh hellhole we call home cultivated. When I return…I'll be expecting more…my child."**

This time, Riju's lightning bolt was even larger, her rage twice as great as it had been before. Sadly, it still didn't hit as the specter vanished in an array of black and yellow-colored swirling smoke. Her attack continued outward leaving a brilliant green streak of light in its wake. It was more than just visible, it was alarming. The day had already been hectic enough for the denizens of Gerudo Town.

Exhaustion brought Riju tumbling down, her body only stopped by the prince's swift action.

"As much as I would love to see you roast that bastard alive, I believe the day's fighting is over with, Lady Riju." Respectfully offered the gold-eyed man lowering her onto her knees.

For the first time, she was aware of how much her lungs hurt and how numb her legs were. Looking to her arms, she realized just how much they were trembling, especially her right arm. She'd come within a hair's breath of losing it.

"The day's fighting on our end…but not theirs." Muttered the green-eyed monarch.

Zaltan's eyes softened as he realized where the Gerudo's mind was. "All we can do is hope that they're alright. For now, we have to get you some treatment and secure the town. Right about now I'm pretty sure we've got a growing panic on our hands."

From what Riju could hear, there was already a major panic going on. While it was true what she needed was some bedrest, she had a duty that she needed to uphold. Her people needed her now more than ever. From the moment her eyes had fell upon the phantom she knew that "leisure time" was going to become nothing but a distant dream for the next week or so. It also meant that she and Link wouldn't be able to see each other in private as other matters would be on their minds. More threatening matters.

"Lady Riju! Lady Riju!" Came the frantic voice of her ever-loyal bodyguard.

Riju could already see her protector dropping to her knees and offering her deepest apologies for losing track of her. It almost brought a laugh to her face in picturing her trying to sooth Buliara's fears and rage.

Her train of thought was suddenly and thoroughly disrupted as the air cackled and shook. Once more, all the hairs on Riju's body stood up on end, her lungs freezing mid-expansion. Snapping her head in the direction of the disturbance, Riju allowed her jaw to drop for what felt like the third or fourth time today.

Far, far in the distance a multi-colored burst of energy shot skyward breaking apart the mid-day clouds. White clouds suddenly turned black and gray causing arcs of lightning to jump between them with thunder booming shortly afterward. Riju could feel and hear it all even from miles away.

She knew the familiar tingling all over her body. "T-T-This is…"

"Yes, I believe our expedition found the lost caravan." Noted the prince looking at the magical energy with narrowed and calculating eyes. "But it seems they ran into some…resistance."

Riju knew they were going to be running into some kind of trouble out there, but the question was how bad would it be. Looking at the smoking reminders of Phantom Ganon's appearance the redhead swallowed a lump that had formed in her throat. Her unspoken question had been answered…but it left her with more questions whose answers she deeply feared.

Those questions rung in her head even as her faithfully bodyguard along with the rest of the royal guard arrived on the scene, their faces melting into relief in seeing the two royals wounded but still very much alive. On the outside, they may have seemed in stable condition, but on the inside, they were each a raging maelstrom of emotions. That maelstrom gave Riju the power to stand in spite of her previous exhaustion. Her eyes remained on the still gushing geyser, even as Buliara practically tackle-hugged her and began to rant and beat herself over the visible wounds she'd sustained. Riju was deaf to it all as she focused all of her attention on the distance.

She knew Link was there.

She knew whatever had just happened Link was at the heart of it.

 _Din…Nayru...Farore…please, don't take him away from us, don't take him…please, don't take him away from me. I beg of you._ Prayed the young chieftain, her heart being with naked fear as the explosive geyser began to dissipate and the sky started to return to normal. It just showed the contrast between the heavens and the earth as while the former returned to their normal serene state chaos took iron-hold of the latter and those who inhabited it.

"Normal" had now officially left the land of Hyrule…and it wasn't going to be returning for quite some time. And some wouldn't live to see it do so.

* * *

" **Won't live to see it," ain't that the truth? This chapter was full-on action from start to finish and I hope it was a satisfying read. Hopefully I wrote Phantom Ganon's fighting capabilities in a way that was believable. Now, as for what he's doing in a story that takes place supposedly hundreds, perhaps thousands of years after OoT…you all will have to read on to find that out! Trust me, I've got a nice little surprise waiting regarding his identity and how he's out and about. I'm sure it'll come as a nice shocker to you all, but that's for the future.**

 **Gemesaur was one of my favorite bosses in _Link Between the Worlds_ , maybe because I've got a soft spot for draconic/dinosaur-like monster so I decided to have him be the first "monster boss" that Link faces. I felt it made for a nice contrast to Riju battling Phantom Ganon in Gerudo Town.**

 **Next chapter will see Link and his party wrap up their business in the desert and return home to a…well, it's definitely not going to be an immediate hero's welcome if that's what you're thinking. The next "arc" of this story begins next chapter so look forward to it!**


	8. Chapter 8-Uncertain Tomorrow

**Welp, it goes without saying that it took me a while to update this story. Sorry for the wait everyone. After the action of the last chapter, this one will cool things down a bit, and add some mystery and drama to the mix.**

 **I do not own anything.**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 8-Uncertain Tomorrow**_

The roar resounded in Link's ears like a morning bell rousing him from his sleep. Immediately, his hands were reaching out, searching for his sword and shield on sheer impulse. He felt his shield in his left hand, he gripped it and drew it closer while rising upward. Painfully, he opened his eyes to the desert sun beating down upon him. At first, the light was naturally blinding. His hands went to his face, feeling blood from various cuts and bruises. In particular, he could feel one stretching across the right-side of his forehead from which blood dripped down his face. The wound hurt, but he'd tend to it later, there were other things to worry about. Like finding Yunobo and tending to his safety first.

Thankfully, he found him lying on his back not that far away from him, no less than ten feet. Breathing a sigh of relief, he rose to his feet and began to stumble over to him, calling the Goron's name in worry.

"Uhhh…l-let's…never…do that again. Not…until my head…stops spinning." Managed the young Goron raising his head, his eyes a pair of still spinning swirls. Link couldn't help but laugh at the sight.

"You know…I think it's best we stay topside for a little while. Enjoy the sunlight."

Less than a minute later and his statement was harshly shot down. The earlier roar returned, only with his mind focused Link could hear it more clearly. Cursing, he held out his free hand, calling out to the Master Sword. It appeared in his glove-covered hands, sharp and shimmering with silver light as his eyes found the monstrous foe that had forced them to the surface. At the very least they'd dealt the Gemesaur some considerable damage with their little stunt, even if it had cost them some blood. Such was the way of battle.

Link decided that it was time for this battle to come to an end. It'd dragged on for long enough.

Examining the injuries on the beast, Link deduced that one final push would be enough to bring the Gemesaur down, for good. Gripping the Master Sword, Link decided that though it'd probably leave him bedridden for a day or two, he would give that final push. And then some. Such tasks weren't anything new for him, only more of the same. Seeing him coming, the beast responded in the only way it knew how to, by attacking.

It raised its wounded body upward, a mighty roar building in its chest then exploding outward as it came back down, clawed front legs slamming into the ground. Mere seconds later and the ground erupted in a blast of fissures that glowed with magical energy and upturned chunks of earth. It was wide-spreading enough that a charging army would have been smashed to pieces, let alone a lone warrior. Link wasn't quite alone; he had the spirits of his former lover and his fallen comrades behind him. One of them he called upon to evade the coming attack. Behind him appeared the spirit of Rito, flapping his navy blue wings to summon up a swirling whirlwind that carried the Hylian high into the air, out of the reach of the ground-based attack. That wasn't the end of it though.

Seeing its target was nor airborne, the armored monster switched tactics and began firing explosive blasts of magical energy from its jaw. Each one dwarfed Link's whole body and could have incinerated a Goron with the level of power they held. Revali's summoned whirlwind did an admirable job in deflecting the blasts by manipulating the air currents, but such a thing wouldn't last forever.

Luckily, Link didn't need it to. He had a plan.

His armaments changed, replacing his Hylian Shield was a Sheikah-tech shield whose bright blue glow erupted into a great blue blaze that spread out in front of him. Meanwhile, in his right appeared the massive and sturdy Boulder Breaker having belonged to the physically strongest of the Champions.

Behind him, Revali smirked. "You just never change, do you? Crazy as always."

Link grinned back at the specter. "That's a good thing, after all, my craziness has kept me alive and saved the land countless times!"

"That it has." Remarked the spirit pulling his wings back, then flapping them forward. "You better walk away from this alive! I have no wish for you to join the rest of us!"

The vertical updraft became a horizontal jet stream that launched the Hylian like a cannonball. From the Gemesaur the magical bullet barrage continued, several shots hitting against the projected barrier cast by the magitek shield Link held in his right arm. It held up against the barrage while in his left hand, a gradual coating of fire began to cover the Goron Champion's weapon. The Goron emblem blazed bright as Link came within striking range of the giant monster. With a resounding war cry, Link swung his left arm forward, bringing the sword-hammer hybrid with him. Fire and light exploded from the Boulder Breaker as it made contact.

To the Gemesaur's credit, it remained on all four of its cracked feet as Link came down hard on its head. Of course, this took a toll on the desert ground beneath it, cracking and shattering like glass hit with a mallet. Not just the ground, cracks appeared all throughout the already damaged crystal armor that once covered its body. Said crystal armor reacted causing energy to surge into the head where Link bore down on the monster. His arm screamed in pain as he found himself being pushed back, but he wasn't detoured, instead, he pushed harder.

 _ **CRA-AAACK!**_

First, came the shattering, then the two powers separated, both exhausted. The Hylian flew backwards, his left arm throbbing and the rest of his body following suit as he skid across the ground, using the sword-hammer to slow himself down. He rose with blood dripping from his forehead and lips, yet his blue eyes held onto the determined fire that once burned within them. As for the Gemesaur, it stumbled backward, half of its face-mask broken and more than a few of its teeth missing. It was clear that the beast was in pain, but like the Hylian it wasn't down just yet. Enraged, it looked to Link with its flame-colored eyes promising pure pain in retaliation for the harm done to it. The giant monster took a single step toward the Hylian, but was halted as it came under attack from the side.

Link blinked in shock at the massive fireball that slammed into the gigantic lizard from its right side. Yet another howl of pain and fury went up from the creature as it was pushed back, its armored and unarmored hide sizzling under the heat and breaking under the sheer force of the attack. Focusing his vision, he saw what was at the heart of the attack-a spinning mass of organic rock. He saw Yunobo.

 _Daruk, you've got a grandson to be proud of._ Happily mused the Hylian looking to the ancient weapon in his left hand. Something told him that it wouldn't be long before it could be returned to the one whom had a rightfully claim to it. Still, all that could wait for later. There was still a fight left to finish. Yunobo broke away, guarding himself against the wild counterattack that came in the form of a claw sweep. The Goron's feet left fiery trails as he was pushed back, then he rolled forward hellbent on another ramming attack. This time, the Gemesaur tapped what remained of its magical reserved to create a force field that repelled the young Goron like an arrow against steel armor.

As he came spinning back, Link was finally able to get a clearer look at the Goron. As he'd suspected, Yunobo had gathered up the power of the magic crystals that lay around them. Fiery marks spread out across his orange body, which glistened like golden rock. His usual cream-colored tuff of hair now burned and swayed like a fiery candle. The glow was dying though, it was clear that he was on his last legs. They had to end this battle now.

Link had an idea. "Yunobo!" he called catching his friend's attention. "Can you keep him distracted?!"

"Y-Yeah! I think I can! B-But I don't know how much longer this power up will last!" He responded motioning to his burning hands.

The Hylian smiled at him. "Then use this as a conductor for what you've got left!" Though wounded and exhausted, his strength still remained. A good enough chunk of it that he could toss the heavy weapon as freely as if it were a boomerang. "Just reach out, it'll come to you!" He shouted, even as the roar of the Gemesaur shook the area. What energy it had left was being charged up for some sort of final attack, one that would likely finish off both of them in a single shot. Laying eyes on the monster, he was proven right as a multi-colored aura had surrounded the saurian creature, a bulk of it being concentrated around its front legs. Link deduced another earthquake-like attack was coming, this one likely strong enough to shatter the ground completely, and perhaps even destroy the tunnel they'd made. They needed that tunnel. "Yunobo, now!"

Though he had little confidence in himself, the young Goron knew he couldn't fail his friend who believed in him. He caught the oncoming weapon, channeled his energy into it as he lifted it overhead, and finally prayed to his grandfather as he brought the Boulder Breaker down with all that he had. The mystical energy that had been running through him was transferred into his ancestor's weapon, amplifying it. What erupted from the point of impact was a jagged but straight line of erupting earth and magma that rocketed towards the Gemesaur, who was forced to change tactics to deal with the oncoming attack.

Pure energy and earth met fire and earth in a titanic clash that shook the desert for miles on end, sending cracks and fissures spreading out in all directions while the air was cooked by the intense heat borne from the collision. Fragments of rock and wisps of fire and energy shot outward and toward the sky as the two ground-based attacks pushed against one another. It seemed any second the very earth itself would be splint asunder.

Yet it wasn't enough to detour Link. Just enough time had passed for Revali's Gale to be recharged and used again. Riding an emerald whirlwind, Link maneuvered through the chaos towards the Gemesaur, still preoccupied with trying to outmuscle Yunobo. As he did before, he used a jet stream to propel himself towards the beast's now-exposed head. This time, he held the Master Sword in hand. Face twisted in a frown of determination he drove the sacred weapon through the weakened scales of the monster's forehead. His assault wasn't done yet.

Urbosa regarded Link with curiosity in her eyes before raising her spectral hands to snap her fingers. Bright green arcs of lightning exploded from the specter and condensed around Link, quickly finding a conduit in the Master Sword. The silver blade glowed green as the mystical lightning traveled through it directly into the brain of the struggling Gemesaur. With holy pain surging through its cranium, it lost its battle against Yunobo, allowing his magma surge to continue on its present path., directly towards it.

Link saw the attack coming and prepared himself to pull out, but pain flared up his left arm and back causing him to hesitate.

Luckily, he wasn't alone.

"Oh no you don't! You've still got a _lot_ of work to do!" Boomed the Gerudo Champion grabbing him by the scuff of his tunic and pulling. The next thing the blond Hylian knew he was staring at the clouds drifting across the blue sky, then he was tasting dirt and sand in his mouth.

An explosion sounded in his ears; at the corners of his vision he saw fragments of rock and crystalline fragments jet out across the air. They'd won, but boy had it been a hard-fought victory. Link felt pain oozing through every portion of his body making even sitting up a chore. Again, he had help.

"That…was…kind of fun." Wheezed Yunobo. He was charred black, likely as a result of channeling all that power through his body. Smoke coiled from his hair whiff and his eyes looked somewhat bloodshot. His legs were understandably wobbly as he tried and ailed to stay on his feet. Like Link, he too collapsed, just as he'd attempted to help him sit upright. Together, they lay on their backsides, staring at the clear sky. "Um, what do we do now?"

"Rest." Answered the Hylian. "We're no good to anyone like this, barely able to move a finger." He winced as he attempted to raise a hand, his right hand to be precise. "Just…give me a minute then I can use Mipha's Grace."

"Take…your time." Yunobo stated. "I…um, thanks for letting me use the Boulder Breaker."

Link laughed, even though it caused him pain in his sides. "Why are you thanking me? I just gave it back to the person it properly belongs to. For the record, Yunobo, it's yours now."

"L-Link, I-"

"Just take it. Please, I don't want to go back to having to carry it around. My arms hurt too much."

Yunobo was quiet for a moment. "Well…um, okay. If you…think that I'm worthy of it."

"You are. After all, without you I'm pretty sure this fight would have ended with me dying here on this nameless stretch of land in the middle of nowhere. Right next to a giant hole." Remarked the Hylian.

Yunobo actually laughed. "That was probably the biggest hole I've ever made."

"Just think, if we're able to mine these magical stones you'll be able to make even bigger holes. Hell, you may end up designing a drill that can extend all the way to the other side of the world."

"Would that be something, huh? You know…I've always kind of wondered what lay outside of Hyrule.

No sooner had the Goron said the words did the ground beneath their backs begin to shack. Both boys groaned in annoyance, but sat up and readied themselves for yet another go around. Link prepared to call upon the spirit of his former lover, but stopped as she placed an ethereal hand atop his shoulder. That alone caused him to relax.

The hole they'd made in the ground was close to thirty-feet in diameter. Right beside it appeared a crack that quickly grew into a second hole, one that merged with the first. Link and Yunobo watched a massive energy drill stab at the sky before dissipating and revealing two adult Gorons who poked their heads up from the earth. Their eyes lit up upon seeing Yunobo, who happily waved at them. More heads quickly followed.

"By the goddesses!" Cried the Gerudo warriors who emerged through the hole and surveyed the surrounds. Or what was left of them. What exactly would you call a wasteland that's been decimated?

It seemed that while they'd been fighting the rest of their search party had regrouped. That was good, it meant there wouldn't be any searching for lost or scattered members. Then again, there was always the possibility that the Yiga would launch yet another surprise attack on them since they were all most likely weakened and exhausted.

Link spotted Gremio making his way over to them. Almost the entirety of his left arm was tightly bandaged and there were several blood stains all over his body, some of which were covered up with bandages. "I think it you saw some action while we were wrestling with scalely over there?" Inquired the Hylian pointing to the charred remains of the Gemesaur. Remarkably, a good chunk of the body was still intact in spite of the damage he and Yunobo had dealt to it. Except for the head and neck. Those were gone completely.

"Since you asked, we dealt with some rather annoying worm problems. You folks in Hyrule have some really, really big sand worms, do you know that?" Replied the icy swordsman. He surveyed the surrounding area, silently noting the immense level of destruction that had been wrought from the struggle of man vs. beast. "You two did a good job in beating that thing."

"It was guarding the mines." Clarified the blond Hylian. Honestly, he didn't really fancy the idea of heading back underground, but he knew that's where he was headed. Something had to be done about the magical stones that had spread out and become common place within the cavern. No matter what, they couldn't allow the Yiga to get their hands on such precious gems; if they did then the results would be nothing short of disastrous. Reaching to his waist, he was beyond grateful to finding his Sheikah Slate still where he'd left it. A little dirtied, but still in working condition. "Gremio, can I leave things to you while I contact Gerudo Town?"

"Sure, but first let's do something about your injuries." He whistled to a pair of soldiers nearby who quickly rushed over. "You know, I can't really say I like this Gerudo Desert. Seems to possess a tad more dangers than I originally anticipated."

His words weren't said in a vacuum. The nearby Gerudo all gave varying reactions from laughing in amusement or snorting in low-key annoyance. Link could somewhat understand what they were feeling. He looked to the Cornulian swordsman with a smile.

"Now you know why the Gerudo are considered some of the toughest races in all of Hyrule."

* * *

 _ **Several Hours Later, Gerudo Town…**_

To say that things hadn't gone as planned would have been a colossal understatement. On the positive side, when the search party returned with news of their findings it gave the people of Gerudo Town something to be happy about. Mostly.

 _He's back._

Once they'd gotten back, they'd been given a rundown of what had happened upon their return. Just Ganondorf, the King of Evil, the Scourge of Hyrule himself, or at least one bearing his likeness, had paid Gerudo Town a visit. In other words, he'd laid siege to the recovering town.

 _He came after her._

Or to be precise, he went after one person in particular-Riju. He'd somehow snuck past all of the defenses and security, the combined might of the Gerudo and Cornulians guarding the city. They said it was like a giant shadow falling over the town so quickly after the surprise attack by the Yiga.

 _He came after Riju._

 _He came after Riju_

 _He came after Riju._

Once he'd learned of the attempt made on Riju's life, Link could feel his mind shutting down. That was it, end of story; all that he needed to hear. Behind a stoic face, hot-red rage burning within him, charring his insides black. Hopefully no one noticed the way his fists tightened, the way they trembled with the desire to hunt down Ganondorf and rip him to shreds with his bare hands. Zelda's Light Arrows wouldn't do it, no, this time he'd put the bastard down in the oldest and most efficient way possible-by doing it himself. When asked for his thoughts he was able to give convincing enough answers. He had some practice at hiding his emotions; some would even argue that he'd become too good at it. Link couldn't exactly bring himself to say that they were wrong. Arguably he was too stoic for his own good.

This time though, his stoicism might have saved him. After all, the last thing that was needed was the Hero of the Wilds, Hyrule's strongest and most capable warrior visibly losing his cool and swearing vengeance on the millennia-old evil he thought he'd vanquished. Hearing his fiery declarations would likely do more harm than good. So he held it all in.

At least until he was able to get to the Gerudo Chieftain. Not an easy fit, but one he could do even with his right arm in a sling.

Slipping away from all of the commotion wasn't easy, but doable. Link had a goal in mind, a goal that really never left his mind to be honest. It was impossible to get Riju out of his mind for a number of reasons, even with the day's mayhem fresh in his head. Luckily, he wasn't alone as everyone else was in just a hectic mood. Again, it made slipping away far easier than it could have been. It also left a rather uncomfortable feeling in Link's gut as he realized if something else happened, he'd be nowhere to be found by those who likely needed him.

 _ **She**_ _needs you. Now more than ever since that bastard pig's on the loose. Again._ Growled a dark, primal voice that Link had heard several times before. It was his inner darkness, all of which he wanted to say but always held his tongue. There was only so much anger that one could keep in though, that was why at times he found the thrill of battle and adventuring to be so relieving. Of course, there were other ways of relieving stress, Mipha had taught him that. Sometimes the best relief for stress was seeing the person you loved, especially if they were dealing with something stressful themselves. Link felt that certainly applied to hm and Riju at the moment, which furthered his determination to see her.

He had to know that she was alright. That she hadn't ended up like…Mipha.

Yet another scar that he'd have to leave with, one that could flare up at a moment's notice. There was only one way to tend to it when it did.

Credit had to be given to the Gerudo and Cornuelians. Though the situation was nothing but a raging storm, they were able to remain composed and still carry on with their duties, namely guarding the VIPs. Among them were Zelda, Queen of Hyrule, Zaltan, crown prince of Cornulia, and lastly the Gerudo Chieftain herself, Riju. Extra special care was being given to guarding the two ladies; quite natural given that the first likely held the only key to defeating the King of Evil while Riju…well, if something happened to her then it would be a crippling blow to moral, all across the land. It certainly would be one for him.

"Link,"

The Hylian nearly stopped in his tracks as he heard his name fall from her lips. Considering he was practically clinging to the walls like some sort of spider, that wasn't exactly a good thing. Lucky for him, he and his secret lover were alone.

Expectedly, Riju was bandaged in several places, including beneath her clothes. Even then, Link still considered her beautiful. Link emerged from the shadows, his arm injury only causing him minor discomfort as he came upon the wide bed that Riju had been placed in so she could recover from her injuries.

"You and those little Sheikah secret arts." Laughed the redhead while jokingly shaking her head. A minute later and her smile fell as he took a place beside her. That chair had been sat in by the royal physician, who'd personally tended to her injuries. Behind her had hovered Buliara and several other guards. Those same guards now stood outside the door of the room. Any second, they could pop in and see Riju and Link consorting. Scandal was the word. "You shouldn't be in here, you should be at Zelda's side. You're her guardian." She said with an air of sorrow in her voice.

He'd know it was coming, and responded accordingly. "But you're the woman I love." His hand reached out and found hers, affectionately tightening his grip on her. She squeezed back. "I…I had to come see you first, I had to make sure that you were alright." Link's voice was tight with emotion.

Riju had been expecting it. Sure, there was the thrill that came with their secret affair, but she never forgot who it was she was in a relationship with. Not just a Champion of Hyrule, but a man who'd already loved…and lost once more. It had been a…little detail of their relationship that they'd talked about, but never truly explored, not that there was a reason to. Link saw her for who she was at her core, not as a child, chieftain or a replacement for Mipha, he simply saw Riju for who she was. Still, her presence in his life had a way of rousing old memories, memories of a happier and more peaceful time, the time of her ancestor to be precise. "Link…I…I can't tell you that I wasn't scared, because I was."

"You had every right to be." Soothed the Hylian placing his hand atop of hers. "Riju, what you were facing, _who_ you were facing, anyone would have been scared, even me." Link's shoulders sagged as he tried to picture himself in Riju's position. He _really_ would have been scared to see his most hated enemy return from beyond the grave, again. After the fear though, anger would have came. A bumbling hot sense of righteous fury that would have led him to throw everything he had at the phantom bearing the likeness of the Gerudo king. There would have been quite a bit of collateral damage in the process. "I just…I should have been there for you. If I had been, then you wouldn't have-"

"If you'd been here, who would have ensured that the mine was secured? That the magical stones would have fallen into the hands of the Yiga…then we'd all be in deep trouble." Softly cut off the redhead, her green eyes boring into his blue orbs. "I know what you're going to say, with Ganondorf on the loose we're already facing down the darkness, but thanks to you we have what we need to hold out until dawn may break. Nay, we have what we need to usher in the dawn ourselves. I assure you on my pride as Gerudo, that bastard will not continue to draw breath. Not for much-mmph!"

The polite thing to do would have been to wait for Riju to finish speaking, but Link couldn't do that. Apparently, Riju herself didn't seem to mind too much as she melted into the kiss. She was mindful of his wounded right arm, an arm that she was sure he'd taxed. Thankfully, he was one of the few who were left-arm dominant. That same arm moved around her waist to bring her in closer. Riju allowed herself to be pulled in, her fingers gliding up his bandaged cheeks as her lips melded against his. The remaining dull aching in their respective bodies vanished as they whole-heartedly embraced one another, time slipping away.

Lately, it felt like time was one thing they'd ran so little on. Their future regarding the precious resource wasn't exactly looking so bright either. With the locating of the lost caravan and the appearance of Ganondorf's phantom their lives were without a doubt going to be extremely busy. And there was a high chance they wouldn't intersect as much as they would have liked to. Sneaking away to meet one another wasn't going to continue to be a viable option, more so since they both would have the pressures of their respective duties to tend with. Their lives would be nothing short of pure mayhem for the next several weeks, perhaps even year or two.

That was why they did everything they could to make these moment count. The goddesses knew when they'd have the opportunity again.

Riju had ended up lying against the fluffed-up pillows, the Hylian Champion's head nestled against her chest so he could hear her heart beat. It was beating frantically because of their passionate embrace mere seconds ago. Beyond the right-side walls and windows the desert wind blew across Gerudo Town, the pale light of the moon basking the bustling town with its glow. Without a doubt it was going to be an extremely busy night, busier than the average night in the formerly all-women settlement. Riju couldn't help but smile at that as such a thing had been a dream of hers for a while. It just pained her that such a thing came about the hands of people whom she held in such contempt.

"I'll pay him back for what he did." Came the softened voice of Hyrule's strongest warrior.

She stroked his golden mane. "You don't have to, Link. As much as I hate to say it, he is a Gerudo…we should have dealt with him ages ago. Before he…" Her green eyes shut as her mind once again turned to the immeasurable number of crimes the King of Evil had committed over his centuries' long rampages. "Do you think this time he can be…put down for good?"

"He will be." Suddenly, there was a hard edge in Link's voice. It wasn't entirely unexpected, talk of the ancient evil Gerudo always elected a strong reaction from him. The reason why wasn't anywhere near hard to ascertain. "I will put him down for good this time, no matter what it takes. Even if I have to throw him into the gates of hell myself and lock the doors behind him."

"Just make sure that you're on the other side when you do. This world still has many uses for you, especially it's inhabitants." Chided the young chieftain with a smile.

Link rose, looking to steal away another kiss from her when the hairs on the back of his neck stood on end. Riju was in the same boat as well. Their eyes, sky-blue and emerald-green, locked; a plan of action was immediately made.

Years of battle instinct and training kicked in allowing for Link to swiftly move beneath the bed and steady his racing heartbeat and breathing as to lower the chances of detection. Riju, thankfully, had little to do other than attempt to calm her once racing emotions and make herself seem somewhat presentable. Given the day she'd had at the very least she can pass of anything out of the ordinary as simply after effects of the battle with the phantom of Ganondorf.

The door swung open little more than a second later. Expectedly, Buliara was the first out, her eyes scanning the room for anything out of the ordinary before making way for the next two of her visitors. Council members Nisan and Qadira, the latter of whom fixed her lone eye on the young chieftain. Her lips briefly ticked upward into a smile as she watched Riju tense up, as if expecting for a full-on political discussion to break out. She did have high hopes for her and believed it was in their people's best interest to push Riju as far as she could go. Evidently, she'd been pushed enough. Behind them emerged the aged Cornulian mage, Simon. Riju couldn't say that she was surprised to see him. With the caravan's contents recovered they were going to be needing as many magical experts as they could muster.

"Apologies in disturbing your rest, Queen Riju." Immediately began the foreign mage giving a bow that the redheaded Gerudo quietly waved off. "It seems you're strong enough to sit upright."

"While I will not deny that engaging that bastard phantom had my heart racing, it failed to inflict upon me anything greater than a few scratches and bruises. I should be ready to go survey the mine by week's end."

"Hopefully by then we'll have the area secured enough for you to pay it a visit should you choose to." Spoke Nisan after a quick glance at her fellow councilwoman. They both knew it was a lost cost trying to keep her away from the unearthed caravan that lay within their domain. "Lady Riju, we've scoured every corner of the city and the surrounding area, but we have had no luck in locating the specter that attacked you and Lady Zelda earlier today."

"I doubt any more searching will do us much good. Odds are the phantom has retreated far away from Gerudo Town; its message having been sent." Her words caused a ripple affect across her four visitors, all of whom looked to her with troubled eyes, or almost all of them. One-eyed Qadira locked her gaze with Riju's, her face a straight frown as she'd likely already deduced the angle that Riju was getting it. "That we are not safe. Ever since Link slew the Calamity Ganon close to two years ago, we have come to believe that the darkness that befell Hyrule has come to past and we may now focus on rebuilding. What that bastard did with his attack was attempt to tell us that such a thing is not try, or rather, the King of Evil will not allow such a thing to pass. But we will not heed his will, not without a fight."

A smile grew along the lips of the foreign royal mage, one that didn't go unnoticed by the Gerudo. "I had heard that the chieftain of the Gerudo was a very spirited and capable young woman, I see that those rumors were not far off base."

As one would have expected, Buliara did not take kindly to the comment, and she let the mage know it. "You sound as if you were expecting less of our chieftain."

To his credit, Simon quickly recovered. "No, no, I meant no disrespect. I only imagined after coming face to face with such a dreadful ghost she'd decide to wait until perhaps tomorrow to begin addressing such matters as to what we're discussing."

"With all due respect, Simon, I must begin to address them tonight at their earliest if I expect to be even half the leader that my aunt and mother were. Besides, the longer I wait the more there is a chance of something else unexpected happening." Explained the bedridden teenager. She'd originally had a fairly neutral stance on surprises, but the past couple of days had begun to sour her opinion just a tad bit. Her lands and Hyrule as a whole had been hit again and again by unexpected and even dangerous bouts of the unexpected. They'd lost lives, yet they'd gained something in return. Riju couldn't exactly say she was happy with the exchange; for her, whenever life was lost that always counted as a point against. "I know this question may be being asked early, but I can't help myself; how long before we can have the site fully excavation?"

There was an expected exchange of glances. It seemed now the debate was who was going to be the one to speak up and answer her question.

Not surprisingly, it was the war veteran of the four. "Lady Riju, I myself have not gone to see the tomb, no one save for the scouting party has, but from what we understand, the mine is rather vast. Not to mention as we speak, there's a chance that the Yiga and the Cornulian rebels will attempt to retake the mines. All we were able to leave behind was a small garrison. Albeit we have sent forces there to bolster them."

"Riding out in the middle of the night." Mused Simon.

"With all due respect, Simon, such things are rather trivial to use Gerudo." Explained Nisan with a budding smile. She wasn't alone as the other four Gerudo wore smirks of varying sizes. "In fact, going for 'night rides' is something of a Gerudo tradition and even past time. We sent out most skilled and capable warriors out to help secure the site. By morning's light we shall receive a report from them. And should we not then…"

No one wanted to say what would happen if no report came. Logic would point to only one conclusion as to what had happened. Beneath the bed, Link himself toyed with the thought. He didn't particularly dread the thought of more fighting, just the thought of finding slaughtered Gerudo, their bodies behind desecrated in some horrific manner. As saddening as such a thing would be, he couldn't entirely role it out. The fact that he couldn't merely showed just had broken and even cynical he'd become. Physically speaking, he looked no matter than a spry young adult, but inside, in truth, he was worn, battle-tested, aged, seasoned.

From the way things were looking, Riju might have been heading down the same path. He couldn't allow that to happen.

"I suppose that brings us to the next question, perhaps the most pressing one of them all." Started the young redhead sitting upright. Her gaze was focused and direct, her lips a straight frown and her body posture as unreadable as possible. "What will be done about distribution of the stones once they begin to be mined?"

And like that, lightning struck casting silence over the room. It quickly became divided into two camps, albeit one camp consisted of exactly one person, who knew of his status quite well.

The blue-eyed Cornulian took the near piercing gazes he was shot with well. If his word-of-mouth record was anything to go by, he'd been in far worse situations. At the very least Buliara wouldn't relieve him of his head if he said the wrong thing. Maybe a hand or a leg. "That is quite a question, isn't it? Sadly, I do not believe we are the ones to be discussing such topics, our superiors are missing." His words exploded like an invisible bomb shell in the room, though one that perhaps needed to be detonated. Like it or not, none of the Gerudo could deny that the royal mage had spoken the truth.

Riju wasn't going to deny it. While she may have been queen of arguably the most advanced and battle-capable race of Hyrule, she was not the high queen. Zelda was, and whatever happened to the magical mine her word would be final on the matter. Within the domain of the Gerudo there were some who weren't entirely happy with such notions. Going as far back as thousands of years, there'd been a subset of Gerudo who'd longed to completely break away from Hyrule altogether and be their own independent nation. Their wishes weren't without some basis; one hundred years ago, when Calamity Ganon shattered the kingdom, the Gerudo had recovered quickly enough and formed perhaps the most advanced and capable little nation next to the Zora, who themselves turned somewhat inward. While the same could be argued for the Gerudo, they still maintained trading relationships and such with outsiders, it was how they'd managed to survive.

 _That faction…could they have sunken so low as to ally with the Yiga believing that Ganondorf can somehow bring about an independent Gerudo nation?_ Had she not been surrounded by others, she would have laughed in bitter amusement. Even she could see such an idea was doomed to fail, and its supporters buying themselves a one-way ticket to the hereafter. Pushing the thought to the side, she turned her attention back to the present. "You speak the truth, Simon. That, and perhaps this matter is better left for when a firm hold has been had on the mines. As it stands, for all we know another battle for control of it could be unfolding as we speak. Buliara, what of the Yiga prisoners we have, the ones who told us of the mine's location in the first place?"

Her bodyguard's face quickly fell. "Unfortunately, they have committed suicide, milady."

Qadira snorted. "No thought to ensure we couldn't get any more out of them, or perhaps to save some shred of dignity while they still had it."

"There's that," Riju offered putting a hand to her chin. It was a habit of hers that she believed was eventually going to become a trademark. "How long ago was that?"

There was yet another exchange of glances between the three Gerudo. Just as it seemed Nisan was ready to speak up, Buliara cut her off. "During the raid by that Ganondorf look alike. We checked their cells to find them dead, afterwards we went back and reexamined their bodies believing the phantom had done them in. From what we could gather it truly was suicide."

Riju's eyes looked to four. "That doesn't necessarily roll out foul play on some level."

Simon's blue eyes widened. "You believe they gave up the information regarding the caravan's location to lure away Sir Link and our fighters so this Ganondorf could mount a direct assault on Gerudo Town?"

"Yes, I do." Answered the bedridden teen with narrowed eyes. "It's just a theory though,"

"But one that has merit, Queen Riju." Supported Qadira. As a veteran fighter, she could see the chain of thought, and had to admit it made the most sense, but there were still some pieces missing. "Still, if this creature who engaged you and Lady Zelda truly was Ganondorf's ghost…why was the damage so…light?"

The foreign mage looked to the councilwoman with a raised eyebrow. "Light?" He repeated showing his ignorance of the magnitude of the threat they were facing.

Luckily, Nisan was the one to speak up and explain it to him, preferably in a way he wouldn't find offensive. "Respectfully, Sir Simon, the damage we received from the phantom's surprise attack was nowhere near as horrific as it could have been. Queen Riju's battered but nowhere near broken state is a testament to that. Ganondorf was not just our people's leader at one point, he was recorded as one of the strongest Gerudo to ever live, perhaps _the_ strongest, regrettably. In the distant past, it was said he could conjure up shadowy puppets and duplicates that could lay waste to armies and take the heads of even some of the most skilled fighters." Her words had the desire effect as Simon's face fell, a grave shadow consuming it. "Even so, we had some skilled fighters remain here in the city, watching all the checkpoints in and out of the city."

"Not to mention he was lacking his Malice."

"What?"

"Milady?"

All eyes were on the young chieftain, who remained unwavering as she returned their gazes. Sucking in a breath, she explained in more detail what she meant. "Link and Zelda told me that Ganondorf, no, Ganon as he existed, possessed a foul power, Malice. It was the manifestation of his wicked power, corruption given form as a gaseous miasma that polluted Hyrule itself. It was this corruption that took hold of the Sheik's technology, including the Divine Beasts driving them out of control. During his final battle, Link told me that Ganon compressed all of his Malice into himself, becoming a destructive monster capable of laying waste to the land. Buliara, Nisan, Qadira, you all remember feeling it, don't you?"

The three Gerudo flinched, and rightfully so. On the day Link had gone to confront the Calamity Ganon, many had woken up and gone about their business until they felt…something. It was like the calm before the storm, which followed suit shortly afterwards. The elderly of the land, the truly elderly, knew the feeling; they'd felt it once before, a century ago. Feeling it again confirmed what many had known was coming-Link confronting the Shame of the Gerudo. Everyone else felt it soon after as waves of malicious intent and darkness spread across the land like a dust storm. Even though the sun was out, the skies had seemingly darken, an arctic chill sweeping over Hyrule, including the lands of the Gerudo. They felt it perhaps a tad better than the other races as their records vividly detailed the last time such a malicious aura was felt, and who was responsible for it.

When Dark Beast Ganon was slain, the Malice that had infested Hyrule had dissipated. Or so it seemed to many.

"Lady Riju, pardon me for saying, but what exactly are you getting at?" Questioned Buliara looking concerned at the deep in thought expression upon her charge's face. It seemed like the chieftain was attempting to burn a hole in the wall ahead of her.

"That's just it, Buliara, I don't know _what_ I'm getting at. It's just…Ganondorf without his Malice…something about it all just seems off to me." She explained.

"Why exactly are you so hung up on this malicious essence, Lady Riju?" Simon inquired focusing his gaze on the teenage ruler.

"Because of what Link, and Zelda, told me. By this point, Ganondorf's soul has become so corrupted that any incarnation of his would likely possess Malice as well. It is like a fire that does not give off smoke." She further explained. Without a doubt, the sense of dread was certainly there, but Riju felt like something was missing from the piece of the puzzle. Something that didn't quite make sense to her. She wished she could put her finger on it, but the more she tried the more overlooked that piece became. Depressingly, she realized that she didn't even have half of the picture she was attempting to envision. "There's still so much we don't know." Came the eventual sigh.

"Then I believe it is merely for the best we harden our defenses at the moment." Nisan offered.

"I second that." Qadir added looking to Buliara and Simon, both of whom nodded in confirmation. "At present, we have enough to deal with. We'll take our concerns to the next meeting, inform Queen Zelda and Prince Zaltan of them. No, I believe we must go further than that. Rather or not it is real, there is a possibility of Ganondorf's return, and we must alert the rest of Hyrule's leaders to it."

Riju visibly winced. That was one announcement she didn't like having to make, doubly so in the case of Sidon. He'd already lost his sister to her people's renegade king, and narrowly his would-be brother-in-law. Would he rush off at the chance to slay Ganondorf's phantom at the opportunity? If he did, Riju wouldn't blame him. She'd just have to make sure she got her piece in as well.

"I believe that's enough for one night." Nisan said, her lips curving upward into a smile. "Lady Riju, we wish you a speedy recovery and will reconvey in the morning, when we have all assembled together."

"I agree with Lady Nisan," Seconded Buliara, her eyes wavering as she looked to Riju.

"As do I." Added Qadir before shifting to Simon.

The royal mage playfully shrugged his shoulders. "I'd have to agree with the ladies. It has indeed been a long and exciting day. A night of rest would do everyone some good. Including out expedition party."

Yet again, her acquired political chops showed. She maintained a strong poker face. Had she not then her face would have been red as a tomato. Beneath her, Link likewise must have maintained similar control as not so much as a squeak came out of him.

Luck was with them as after a few more words and best wishes, the four departed leaving Riju and the hidden Hylian alone. Three minutes passed before the latter dimmed the coast clear enough for him to emerge from beneath the bed.

"I think we're getting good at this." He said. Not one bead of sweat could be spotted on his brow. "I mean, I think they any of them noticed anything."

Playfully rolling her eyes, the Gerudo leaned back in her bed, opening her arm out so her boyfriend could crawl up alongside her. Once he was comfortable, she leaned her arm into his chest. Link turned his body about so he was facing her, his arms wrapped around her back.

"I long for the day we won't have to do this, sneak about and live in worry over someone discovering us." She replied. Using both hands, she could count the number of times they'd literally slept together side by side. Of course, there was their first time, in every sense of the word, in the cave in the desert. Since then, things had been…well, they'd been exciting. But Riju knew that such excitement came with hidden dangers. "You…should get back to Zelda."

"Do you…want me to go back?" Came his quiet, somewhat sullen answer.

Riju clenched at his chest. "Don't say that. You…you should know I'd like nothing better than for you to stay here, here with me in your arms." Her voice cracked, something that made Link mentally kick himself. In penance, he merely held her tighter. "But we both know that your place is at her side, you're the royal bodyguard, Hyrule's last remaining Champion. The only logical place for you to be at is by the side of our true queen. Link, we both know that now, you need to be at her side now more than ever…" Lifting her head up, it was clear that Riju was a stone's throw away from crying. Given all that had transpired from the afternoon onward, they were warranted. "Go to her. I…I promise…I'll be around, I'll be there for you, in spirit."

 _But it isn't enough being together in spirit…what I want is…_ Link had to stop himself there because he knew he was being selfish. This was bigger than him, and he couldn't afford to start shirking his responsibilities now. "I'll come back as soon as I can." He finally said.

Reaching up, she cradled his face, his youthful vintage that had remained free of permanent injury in spite of his near daily adventuring. This latest scuffle had left him with some bruises, but none that wouldn't heal and fade with time. "I promise, I'll be waiting, my beloved voe." A moment later and their lips connected, wet and passionate, tender and full of love for one another. Link sprung on her in a heartbeat, his arms coiling around her waist just where the blanket ended. Riju giggled against his lips, deepening the kiss afterwards.

All that forced them apart was the eventual need for air. The Hylian broke away from the Gerudo, their eyes lingering on one another.

Yet again, the promise was made. No matter how much time passed or what circumstances threw at them, they'd find a way back into one another's arms.

* * *

Finding Zelda wasn't all that difficult. She was practically right down the hallway from Riju, with her room being as equally guarded as hers'. Luckily, there was no reason for Link to sneak his way in, all he had to do was ask and the guards parted for him.

Much like with Riju, what awaited on him on the inside was a bandaged and traumatized young monarch. Albeit Zelda was visibly more distraught than Riju had been. Link felt his heart twist itself into a knot.

She still insisted on putting up a smile, if only out of engrained habit, much like him. "How's Riju?"

"Well, she's…holding up. Keeping a pretty calm head about all of this, pretty much everyone is trying to do so." Answered the male Hylian quietly walking over to the high queen. Link quietly took a seat beside Zelda's bed, his fingers curling and uncurling as he attempted to think of something to say, some way to apologize for leaving her alone when she needed his protection.

Somehow, shed read his mind, and acted to put his fears to rest. Or at least, she tried to do so by putting her hand to his cheek. In doing so, Link felt her fear through her trembling hand. He immediately placed hos own palm over hers.

"I'll put him down this time, for good." He said before pulling his oldest surviving comrade into a tight hug. The next second showed that Zelda needed it more than him. She clenched at his shoulders as fearful shakes rocked her body. They would likely continue, periodically cropping up until the ghost of Ganondorf had been slain for good. She wouldn't be alone in her trembling, oh no, many more would sleep in fear, provided they could get to sleep at all.

Once again, it would be his job to give them the ability to sleep again.

And the next time he saw this supposed Phantom Ganondorf, he was going to have another chance to pay him back for all the things he'd taken from him. Oh, and for manhandling his girlfriend.

All of that would come with the future, which now looked as uncertain as it did bright.

* * *

 **So, that's the end of I guess one story arc, and the start of another. Now that the Hyrule and Cornulia have their hands on a magical stone mine it seems things are going to start changing, which this chapter alluded to. There's going to be some tech upgrades for the Sheik and Gerudo Town opening up even more to outsiders. All while everyone wrestles with the possibility that Ganondorf might be back. Or is he? I've got some surprises planned, some of them dealing with exactly what Ganondorf was like in the BotW timeline and how he became the Gerudo's greatest shame. Look forward to all of that in future chapters!**


	9. Chapter 9-Back from the Brink Pt1

**Hey, everyone! Welcome to the first chapter of the new year! Fittingly, last chapter wrapped up one story arc so this chapter marks the start of a brand new one. Link and his band of allies retrieved a magical treasure which is now in the hands of Hyrule and a neighboring kingdom so things should be looking up, right? Well in case any of you were wondering, here's the answer to those questions! And some special guest appearances to boost!**

 **I do not own anything.**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 9-Back from the Brink Pt.1**_

The sound of the waves beating along the shore, it was always such a beautiful lullaby for him, almost rivaling his mother's voice. They were side by side in his mind, both representing the two women he held the closest in his heart.

Whenever he was near the sea, he always felt a certain sense of calmness. His father had possessed mixed feelings about that as he wasn't particularly a fan of the water, a fact that he remembered his mother teasing him over. Especially when it came to family outings near the water, even something so much as a pond or a lake. His parents hadn't been with him during one of those outings when he met _her_. From that point onward…he came to truly love the water. He still did, even after all that had happened.

The soft echo of footsteps against the sand caused his pointed ears to twitch, still the Hero of the Wild didn't move a muscle. Well, he did move some, the muscles in his mouth. The smile only grew as he felt his left hand feel the familiar, wet warmth of another. His legs were caressed by the gentle waves; sweet bliss quickly spread through him, taking him away from the earthly realm into a place of pure joy. There was no strife or turmoil, no evils to be fought and virtues to be upheld, only simple existence and the joy that came with it. Link couldn't remember the last time he'd ever felt like this; he knew that it had been too long though, far too long. Still in his ears was the soft beating of the waves, it was also on his feet, continuously massaging his exposed legs.

"You're doing a pretty good job." Chimed in the beautiful, gentle voice from beside him.

Link laughed. "You really think so? Do you think my father, uncle, and…my grandfather would be-"

"They'd all be proud of you; I know for a fact I am." There was a cute giggle on the Zora's end, one that caused Link's to flush pink. "And so too is everyone else."

"Yes, I'd say you've done a decent enough job. Granted your archery is still second compared to mine, but Hyrule is need of warriors and you are sufficient enough. For the time being."

The Hylian groaned, mentally declaring the good mood ruined. His face gave away his inner feelings and resulted in more laughter, feminine on one hand and booming from the other. Joining them was the amused giggles of his own beloved while silence was the norm from his feathery rival. Even then, Link knew that the Rito archer was smirking, not that he'd let anyone see it, least of all Link. Still, the ocean waves touched his legs, soothing him, as did the warm feel of his beloved's palm.

They all sat in a row, barely a few feet apart from each other. For several minutes nobody spoke, doing as he had done and enjoyed the sweet serenity of the moment. It was hard to tell when was the last time any of them had a moment to lay down and rest like this. Such a moment wasn't tp be wasted.

Even if it wasn't really real.

"They're good enough to repulse the Yiga, which at this point is really all that's needed." Came the confident voice of the Gerudo Champion.

"But how long will that last?" Questioned the Hylian, his eyes growing distant as he looked to the azure sky. Fittingly, a fleet of clouds passed over the sun, casting the beach in darkness. "So far…all we've had since Gerudo Town are little skirmishes, nothing to really even sneeze at. That's what worries me. All this time, all these advancements and…nothing, not even a whiff of Ganondorf."

"Are you certain it was him?"

The Hylian's eyes narrowed at the obstructing clouds. He seemed to be taking his anger out on them, or trying to force a hole in them with his eyes so the sunlight could return. "Riju told me all that I needed to know. Rather it was his physical form or some sort of specter…I don't care…he's back…and when I get my hands on him…"

"Just don't lose herself out there, letting your emotions get the better of you has been the doom of many warriors." Urbosa warned.

"Not to mention you still don't have all the facts yet. There's always the possibility it could be a ruse." Offered the Goron Champion. That invoked surprise from the others, especially Link. "What? It's a possibility! Besides, those Yiga snakes use trickery over brute force, don't they? Especially since they really don't have the muscle to do a head-to-head clash."

"Took the words right out of my out, Daruk." Chuckled the redheaded warrior queen. She sat with one leg stretched out and her other hiked up. Her hands lay flat against the sand. Like the others, she too had her footwear off allowing her right leg to become soaked by the salty sea water. For her, it too had been a while since she'd been able to enjoy such leisure activity. That, and she never was able to spend all that much time by the beach, something that she somewhat regretted. Sand, she knew of, water, she'd only ever seen large quantities of it come from the sky. The beaches of the world could be beautiful, they offered good places to clear one's mind. "Trickery is the hallmark of the Yiga…but sometimes, what's in front of your eyes is the truth. All that said, when you said that look alike again…you will pay him back in kind, won't you?"

The clouds passed, the sun returned; the lone Hylian smiled. "Yeah. Definitely, and next time, I'll make sure it'll be the final time."

There was a light squeeze on his hand. "Don't get so worked up, Link. You need to remember that you have people who care about you in the here and now."

Laughter rung from the Gerudo Champion; Link couldn't help but blush hot pink. Of course, snickering quickly ensued from the other two male members of the group, not even Revali was trying to hide his amusement. When it came to Link's misery or embarrassment, even he couldn't keep completely silent.

Slowly, the Hylian turned his head back to face the red-scaled Zora who lay beside him. She was still as beautiful, as radiant, as ever, and she always would be in his mind. In spite of that, he felt somewhat ashamed to look her in the eye. Of course, Mipha responded with nothing but tender understanding as she cupped his cheek. As he looked into her shining amber-colored eyes, he felt an all too familiar tug in his gut. He wanted to wrap both his arms around her, hold her and even allow the tide to wash them away into the sea. Growing up, he'd heard stories about those who came to love Zora, legend went some found a way to grow gills so they could be with their aquatic lovers in the deep blue waters the inhabited. Link long ago decided if he had to find some way to do that, he would.

Mipha was touched by the sentiment.

She was the one who initiated the kiss that followed. Neither felt any shame in embracing one another in view of their fellow Champions. If anything, they served as a source of amusement more than anything. Daruk and Urbosa gave parental chuckles, the former sporting a hearty blush on his face as he looked away. No doubt he was thinking of his own romantic adventures. Then there was Revali, who was also looking away, trying as hard as he could to make his expression as unreadable as possible. Come to think of it, Link actually didn't know much about his archery-based rival's personal life, much less his romantic life. The closest he'd ever came was the blue-feathered Rito telling him that he had bigger things to focus on then finding a romantic other. Link supposed he was lucky that the feathery archer wasn't making any smart cracks at the intimate moment unfolding mere feet from him.

The kiss eventually ended, and with it a sudden wave of shame and unease ripped through the Hylian like an arrow. His eyes shifted from side to side as his brain struggled to formulate a way to voice his thoughts, thoughts that he didn't believe would be proper to say.

After all, the great aunt of the woman he was currently seeing was lying beside his former flame.

Urbosa wasn't very aware of the situation, and so too was Mipha, who merely laughed in her angelic voice.

"Suddenly regretting your choices now, aren't you?" Now he knew why Revali had been quiet before, he'd simply been waiting for the right time to speak. Which was now. "Still, I suppose there's something to be said about you keeping it…within the…group so to speak."

Daruk turned to the side to admonish the feathery Champion, who merely turned onto his side, his back facing the rest of them. It was such a typical thing for Revali to do, in fact, Link remembered he always did it as a way of tuning out anything he didn't want to be seen hearing. Or just when he wanted to make a point. Or leave Link stranded when he could use some help.

Sitting up, he crossed his legs, looking down at his lap like a child that had been caught stealing sweets. Thank the goddesses no one, especially Riju, was here to see him in such a state. Instead, her great-aunt was there for it, and she was most certainly amused by what she was seeing. Link could only hope Riju didn't have too many dreams that ended with conversations with her great-aunt. If she did then, well, Link tried hard not to think about it, his cheeks swelling up with searing-hot heat.

Still, the boulder continued to come tumbling down as Mipha sat up, a light giggle still sounding from her lips. "Link," she began in that sweet voice that always captivated him. "You have no reason to feel ashamed, and absolutely no reason to feel like you must end things with Riju."

"If you did, I'd sent a bolt of lightning to char you to cinders on the spot." Came the playfully murderous voice of the Gerudo champion, a slight chuckle tacked on for good measure.

The Hylian knew full well that the threat could very much be followed through on.

"This moment here and now…while no doubt blissful…it isn't where you belong. Our time," He winced hearing that, knowing the true meaning behind the words. Naturally, Mipha had to be the stronger one, reaching out and gripping his hands in hers. Link couldn't help but grip hers back; he could almost feel a sob rising up in his throat, threatening to break out. He didn't care if his fellow champions heard it, it's not like it would have been the first time in this quiet sanctuary that existed only for them. Seeing his emotions threatening to spill forth, the Zora moved her left hand up. Her touch was like that of the sea's, warm and gentle, reminding him that there was a light in the world. "Our time…has come and gone, but not yours. It still goes on, and you must seize it, use it as best you can, as you've earned the right to do."

"You never questioned her before, so don't start now." Like an arrow from a bow, as was typical of Revali.

Looking up with a lofty smile, Daruk threw his two rupees in as well. "We may be gone…but what we fought for, the people we fought for, it's all still there. Your job is preserving all of that, and we know you can do that." Link looked back to the Goron who smiled back at him before thumping his chest. "You've done a damn good job! You finished the fight we all began a century ago, ghost or no ghost! So, Link, hold your head up high!"

"And keep it held, my great niece deserves nothing better than a man who walks with his head held high, and you better treat her right." Noted Urbosa with a voice that was both amicable and commanding. "Also, don't forget to watch over Zelda, that's two ladies you have to look out for. It might be a bit tough…but I trust you can do it, after all, you are the Hero of the Wilds."

"The title suits you; you always had a habit of being more reckless than you liked to admit." Remarked the Zora princess causing her Hylian lover to blush pink, again. This was one of her favorite aspects of their relationship, being able to draw such lively emotions out of him with the simplest of gestures. "Reckless as you will always be…just know this, I will always be there to heal you. Both you…and Riju." She concluded with kindness sprinkling her every word.

It wasn't fair, yet it was what was. Link hated it, he'd gained a new love, and yet his heart still ached for the love that he'd lost. Such was the way fate had played out, but he didn't like it; he wasn't sure how he was supposed to feel about it. He wished he could have gone to someone for advice, but these were his problems, his burdens to bear.

Not to mention, as his former comrades had just told him, he had a job to do, multiple jobs to be exact. Biting his lip, he threw his arms around the red-scaled Zora, who gently returned his embrace. "I…Mipha…"

"You don't need to say anything…just be as good to her as you were to me, which I know you'll be, Link." Truly, why had such a soul been so cruelly ripped away from the world, from him? The answer would never reveal itself, but deep-down Link knew he couldn't waste his life dwelling on it. Mipha knew as well and implored him to keep moving on. That meant that eventually, this embrace would end. Still, she could enjoy what time they did have, and not just the two of them.

The Champions of Hyrule, reunited if only for a moment in time faced the sparkling waves that beat along the shore. They quietly lost themselves to the rhythm of the waves, though only one of them began to find his eyelids growing heavy. He couldn't remain awake for much longer, yet he tried to, an exercise in futility he'd become all too accustomed to. Mipha soothed him, telling him that it was alright and that they would all always be with him. Link knew her words to be the truth, so he began to let go.

 _Until next we meet…my love…_

* * *

Blue eyes fluttered open, staring at not a sunny sky but a wooden ceiling. The wind that blew across his face was not the salty breeze of the sea but the cold breeze of early winter. He didn't feel the watery embrace of waves against his legs, which were covered along with the lower half of his body by a thick blanket that had done its part in keeping him warm throughout the night. Going to sleep with an open window while winter's setting in wasn't exactly advisable, especially with someone like him. It would be all too easy for an assassin to slip through the window and slit his throat. Granted, Link possessed a fair bit of admittedly justifiable pride in his abilities. The Yiga had made attempts on his life before, some conducted while he'd been asleep; naturally, a bath had been needed the following morning to clean the blood off of his clothing.

Sitting upright, he allowed the admittedly cold winter air to wash over his bare arms. It wasn't quite cold enough for it to snow, or for said snow to stick, but it was most definitely getting there. If Link had to guess, it'd be another two or three weeks before Hyrule was covered in a blanket of powdery white, or at least most of the land. Some parts of the kingdom would escape winter no problem, namely the Gerudo Desert and Death Mountain. This winter though, the Gerudo would have the truest opportunity to venture out of their domain and experience winter in full just as the rest of Hyrule did. Well, except for the Gorons; expectedly, they were busy preparing themselves for the winter before it struck in full.

Link wondered if he should plan any trips to Death Mountain, or talk Riju into making a trip there then "conveniently" meeting her there. Of all the places they'd attempted to meet up at, Death Mountain wasn't one of them. The only problem with such a plan was someone potentially wondering in on them; with a laugh, Yunobo's boyish face came to mind.

The Hylian knew that at some point he would have to travel to the land of the Gorons if only to check-up on his rocky-bodied friend, who'd inherited his grandfather's blunt-edged sword little over four months ago. He'd heard good things about Yunobo's training, but he wanted to get more hands-on with the future Goron Champion; to be entire frank, he almost saw it as a duty seeing as how he was the "senior Champion" as some had joked.

Though the sun was out, warmth was in short supply. Waves of cold air were rolling across Kakariko Village leading many to breaking out their fur-lined coats and jackets in an effort to stay warm. Link would be one amongst them.

His noise wrinkled as he caught a familiar smell. There were no worries as he knew exactly who was responsible; as it turned out, his stomach also rumbled telling him to get his head out of the clouds and back on the ground. As his lost love had said, he had things waiting for him, people there for him in the present. Smiling a little, he walked across the room towards the door, his feet softly echoing in his ears.

"Morning."

"Master Link!"

"Ah, finally up, that's good!"

"Hm, so that's what your bedhead looks like. Can't say that I'm surprised, not that you couldn't rock it if you wanted to."

Zelda and Paya he'd been expecting, they were two of his closest friends. With the former, she had a key to his house, which was entirely expected given that he was her bodyguard and that when push came to shove, they often confined into each other. Even then, she still insisted on knocking at his door when visiting him. Then there were the times when she entered his home without any say so, usually in the mornings such as this. Regarding Paya, she was another welcome addition, a friend that he felt he could always depend on; she made herself that way as he'd approached her not as some great hero, but as a friend. Link was definitely that even though she still referred to him with an honorific title, she was comfortable enough around him to converse with him normally. Even in the confines of his own home, which she was now able to walk in without tripping over herself.

And then there was the third, most unexpected member of the house guests. First off, he was male, and unlike the latter two, Link had only known him for a few months at best, albeit he had come to admittedly like him as a friend.

Evan grinned at him. "Nice place you got here, much nicer than mine back home."

"Well, welcome, and I hope you wiped your feet when you came in." Retorted the swordsman quietly moving his eyes about the kitchen. It seemed he wouldn't be cooking for the morning, something that made him laugh a little. Well-known throughout the land, and beyond, was the fact that he was quite an adapt cook, so adapt that more than a few had attempted to get him to hang up his sword and become a cook for them. Again, Link liked to think that would be an ideal way to spend his twilight years, but those were a long way off…not to mention a shaky possibility. Living that long was a big if, one that Link toyed with every day, even on days like this. But for the moment, he felt like he was safe; no, more importantly, he was at peace.

Taking his seat at his own dinner table, he patiently watched the three prepare breakfast. It'd been a long time since he'd shared breakfast in the company of people he felt like he could trust. For a moment, he felt almost like everything was normal, that _he_ was normal.

He imagined the same went for Zelda, who looked rather jubilant at being able to try out her culinary skills. Paya was very much in a similar boat, though Link noticed her aura of happiness seemed a bit…brighter. It wasn't hard to deduce the reason why. At her side, practically hovering over her was Evan, his mouth moving in tips and his tongue occasionally sliding out to link his lips as his nose caught the sweet scent of their in-progress meal. Then there was his rather surprising proximity to Paya…who didn't seem to mind the closeness. In fact, from the way she smiled back at him, and occasionally blushed, the Sheik welcomed it all. Link smiled to himself, silently cheering for his young admirer…and promising to pull aside his Cornulian friend for a "talk" when the opportunity presented itself.

Minutes later and breakfast was served. "Ah, a Cornulian dish." An array of breakfast sliders, eggs, bacon and ham, and stuffed toast topped with whips of cream. It was all so tantalizing that Link threw caution to the wind and dug in.

"Seems like mission accomplished, eh, Paya?" Offered the dusty-brown-haired archer looking to the white-haired girl. She blushed hot pink, then met his open palm with her own. Zelda giggled seeing the two of them, which predictably caused Paya to squeak in embarrassment and do as Link was doing. "Oh, you too, Princess Zelda. You did pretty well too."

"It's a step closer to me being able to regale foreign guests with my cooking expertise." Mused the female Hylian with a cheery smile.

"You could just leave it to Link here, you know, when he's not stuffing his face or swinging a sword." Sniped the turquoise-eyed man. Link shot him a half-hearted glare, then went right back to stuffing his face. "So, I'm curious, what's on the menu for today?"

"You mean you're free today?" A short nod was his answer giving Link reason to pause. Once upon a time, foreigners in Hyrule were something of a rarity; a major disaster wiping away nearly all traces of civilization tended to not be good for tourism. Those that did come though, usually kept their stay in Hyrule short, especially if the roaming monsters were being particularly rowdy. Thankfully though, all of that had changed. Albeit, one could argue the "visitors" being a military garrison wasn't exactly a rousing way to start off foreign relations. Then again, considering what Hyrule had come into possession of, one couldn't deny that some extra muscle could be appreciated. Link certainly did as it gave him a chance to meet some new people, namely the brunette archer sitting across from him, eating with him.

It made him feel like he was truly moving forward as his lost comrades had implored him to do.

Likewise, the same went for Zelda.

Wiping her mouth with a napkin, she looked down at the table, her brow knitting as she thought of the best way to answer the Cornulian knight's question. "I have…I will be heading to Hyrule Castle, to help oversee the restoration."

"Then I guess I'll be heading there too." Replied the male Hylian, to which he received an aside glance from Zelda. "What? I'm still your bodyguard you know. I probably will be even if we're able to get some vintages of a working army up and running."

"Well, we're currently working on that part." Evan admitted. "Speaking of which, it'll at least be a well-trained and well-supplied army." His bright colored eyes wondered over to Paya, who blushed and shirked from his gaze. "Last I heard the castle's reconstruction was proceeding on schedule," there was a beat as he looked around at the table, his eyes gaining a certain hardness to them. "Anyone else think that's a bit odd?"

"Yes, it is…but…there is very little we can do about it." It was clear how angry Zelda was, though perhaps more with herself more than anything. Four months had passed since the mission to the desert to recover the magicite caravan, which had been a resounding success. Unfortunately, while Link and the others had been away, a ghost from the past had paid her and Riju a visit. Needless to say, nothing had quite been the same since. For the next several days, bordering on weeks, everyone was alert for anything out of the ordinary, especially coming from the Yiga. Four quiet months had passed with very little happening save for a few skirmishes here and there; nothing escalating into anything that could rival the attack on Gerudo Town, whose injuries had started to heal.

To Zelda, Link, and the other heads of Hyrule, it all reeked of the calm before the storm. Sadly, they couldn't just sit on their hands and knees and wait for the enemy to make the first move. Prince Zaltan had advised her against such.

" _Sometimes, the only way you can get your enemy to show their hand is to make the first move. From there, all you can do is launch a counterattack to their counterattack. Dicey it may be, sometimes you have to take the risk."_

Her ancestors had made such risks in the past, some of them had paid off…and other times it had not. Zelda supposed now it was her turn. Fittingly, so much was at stake seeing as Hyrule was on the verge of getting back on its feet so she was most definitely putting much at risk. Perhaps it was too much, but Zelda knew her power reached only so far. Not to mention that she was also gambling with the lives of another country, Cornulia.

Most viewed the newfound relationship between the two kingdoms as nothing short of a miracle. Both were coming out of dark periods, albeit Hyrule's had been a century long where as Cornulia's had spanned for only four years. Instead of recovering separately, they'd chosen to work together, a decision that most would have argued was the wiser decision.

Then there were those who were against the budding relationship between the two nations. It was quite an open secret who supposedly had the upper hand in the relationship…but Hyrule was nothing of not "blessed" in one form or another.

"If you want, Paya, you could come with us." Link offered catching the Sheik's attention. "It'd give you a chance to get out of the village and see the _other_ place we'll hopefully be eating breakfast at one day."

"A-As much as I would love to, I-I actually have some work here in the village that I want to finish up. N-Namely some work involving the silver magicite fragment that L-Lady Zelda gave me." The eyes of both knights rose, then fell upon the Hyrulean princess, who didn't shirk from their gaze. She looked over to Paya with an encouraging smile. "Even though monsters aren't as big a threat as they were in the past, there's still quite a few roaming the land."

"Eh, this is Hyrule. Monsters are about as common as deer are in a forest. The benefit is we don't have to worry about them en mass like we had to before." Link squeezed out through a full mouth. Swallowing the stuffed pastry down a breath of water, he continued, "Not to mention we don't have the Blood Moon to worry about anymore…I hope."

"I keep on hearing about that," Evan spoke up. "Seriously, how bad was it?"

"Nightmarish." Paya affirmed, her cheery mood having fallen fast. In her life time, she'd lived through more than she could count, and each one had been nothing short of terrifying, even when held up in the safe confines of Kakariko Village. On that note, the village itself had come under siege from the occasional rampaging monster under the Blood Moon's effects. "It…it truly gave the edge to the forces of darkness. It made it impossible for Hyrule to rebuild."

"That's an understatement." While Paya's account was unnerving, Link's no doubt fell more on the horrifying side. He remembered his first time seeing the blood coloration of the celestial lantern. Right down to his bones he knew something was wrong, that something was about to go _very_ wrong. The next ten minutes proved him so painfully right. When dawn broke, he breathed a sight of relief; on the slightly positive side, the incident strengthened his resolve to end Calamity Ganon and put an end to his curse. Quietly, he looked over to Zelda, whose demeanor had darkened as well.

Zelda's memories of the time were bleak, but no less morbid. She'd been locked in a constant battle with the evil Gerudo…and she hadn't always been able to keep his evil at bay. It was impossible to know how many had died during those slip-ups, those _losses_. The answer frightened her; if she ever found out it might be enough to make her consider herself unfit to rule.

Briefly, Link and Evan's eyes met. Both knew that the conversation was heading down a more unpleasant direction thus one of them had to move to fix that. The Hylian chose to be that person.

"While we're at the castle, I'm going to be training anyone that's interested."

Evan chuckled. "Meaning half the workforce."

A cream-covered fork was directed towards the archer. "Well, between the two of us, who's the greater living legend."

Laughter rung amongst the table, but nowhere was it greater than from Zelda herself. No doubt she was thinking of the contrast between how they were now…and how things used to be. Link himself knew how great the contrast was, and he was rather grateful for it.

"To be entirely honest though…maybe just spending the day helping out with reconstruction wouldn't be a bad idea." Offered the swordsman looking around the table. "For the last three weeks I've done nothing but teach a bunch of rookies how to properly swing a sword and do a back flip-"

"With some rather remarkable failures in-between the successes." Evan snipped with a chuckle that was echoed by everyone else.

Link let his brown-haired friend have his moment before continuing. "In the long run…building back up Hyrule Castle will probably be for the best. While I can't deny having an effective army is good, it's next to useless without a center of power for it to operate. Besides, if we're able to rebuild Hyrule Castle, it'll be a goddess-sent boost of morale for the people. Not to mention it'll be a step towards Hyrule being taken seriously as a legitimate kingdom." That was one old piece of wisdom his father, a knight and held of the household had installed into him. Naturally, it had been during his training, an attempt to explain to him why the duties of a knight were so vital, especially those of the royal guard and palace guards. A kingdom without a capital was like a deer without antlers, critically lacking and unnatural in a way. Sad even. It'd been acceptable for the last few years as there hadn't _been_ a Kingdom of Hyrule for the Castle to symbolize.

Then, there was just the notion of building over it, of physically moving past the awful memories that both he and Zelda had of the place.

"Then it's decided. If you all would excuse me, there are some things I need to get to setting up before we make our little journey." Her plate was near cleaned of its original contents. The former princess, now queen, had never been a sloppy eater, but she'd always been a somewhat fast eater. Downing one meal after another then picking herself up and moving onto the next objective. As with many other things, that aspect of her hadn't changed.

Link, Evan, and Paya were left alone to finish their breakfast. "I-I can go i-if either of you want me to." Spoke out the young Sheik.

"Paya," Offered the blond swordsman. "You don't have to if you don't want to. More so, you're better off here working on the magicite." There was a beat as the Hylian turned to face the archer. "Speaking of which…I haven't bene keeping up, how have things been in Cornulia?"

Evan gave a characteristic nonchalant shrug. "There's the usual chatter that we're seeding too much to your Hyrule folk, actually, quite a bit of it. Thankfully, it's usually countered by the fact that the magicite mine rests in your territory thus it's not like we can just uproot the damn thing and take it back to Cornulia. Anyone who suggests that had a tendency to get laughed out, partially because transporting that much magicite over such a terrain is just asking for trouble."

"Ain't that the truth." Some of the more intense skirmishes with the Yiga had been born from caravans fairing a few crates of magicite from one part of the kingdom to another. Needless to say, the Yiga hadn't been happy on missing out on such a valuable resource. "The silver magicite…is it really on par with my Master Sword?" He asked directing his gaze toward Paya.

"W-W-We're still studying it, b-but Master Simon was kind enough to give us some old notes and texts to study. Silver magicite apparently does possess some measure of holy power. It's a blessing that what was mined was kept here in Hyrule for us to study." Looking between the two warriors, Paya saw they both knew why. Unlike Cornulia, Hyrule still had something of a monster problem. That…and the possibility its greatest evil might still be on the loose. That was more than enough reason for her deer aunt to throw caution to the window and conduct all manners of tests and experiments on the supposedly holy-blessed magical crystals. Doubly so if they could be used to defend developing towns throughout the land. "I-If either of you want…you could take some…equipment with you to Hyrule Castle to help test it out."

Link's eyebrow rose. "What kind of equipment?"

Seeing his curiosity peaked, Paya fully came out of her shell. "A type of…magical barrier if you will, one powered by silver magicite! It's a prototype we've been working on, one that could perhaps repel monsters and other evil spirits! Once activated, any evil creature that comes near it will get a painful zap that should be enough to put it down for good! Or give either of you the chance to finish it off."

"Or one of the recruits." Link offered.

"They could use the practice, plus if they fail so badly at training they could use it as a self-esteem booster." Added the archer with a smirk.

"Alright then! I'll hand down to the lab and see if I can get permission for it!" Declared the teenager jumping to her feet. A minute passed as she realized exactly what it was she was about to do. "I-I mean after I finish cleaning up. A-Apologizes, Master Link."

Smirking, the Hylian held up a forgiving hand. "Don't worry about it. I'll take care of it."

In a heartbeat, Evan was up and grabbing at Paya's hand. "You heard him, come on, let's get going, Paya! Catch you in maybe an hour, Link!" Though he'd only given permission to Paya, it seemed in doing so he'd given it to Evan as well. The archer shot a pointed grin at the Hylian's way then scrammed for the door, dragging the blushing Sheik along with him. Link laid back in his seat and watched them go, listening to the door swing open followed by their footsteps.

Sitting back in his seat, Link sat there, his mind quietly taking in all that had happened, and all that would likely transpire over the next several hours. He looked back at the dining table, a collection of dirty and cleaned off plates and crumbs and forks and knives filling the space between them. All proof that rather than eating by himself he'd shared breakfast in the companions. Not to mention his ears still rung with the lively chatter that had gone on during the meal; while the conversation topic turned dark at times, it never remained that way and a smile always eventually found its way back to his face. Even now, as he sat alone, he kept a small smile to himself. It was because he knew he wasn't truly alone, and this wouldn't be the last time he'd have company to eat with. Not all of his companions had left him as he could still hear Zelda from the living room. No doubt she was talking to the Cornulian royal mage, Simon. Such was yet another blessing for the recovering Hyrule, having such an established magician helping oversee the restoration effort as an act of goodwill.

Rising from his chair, he ignored the clattered diner table and proceeded towards the door. Of course, it was half open as Evan had neglected to see it closed shut, no doubt for Byleth. He was grateful for it as it made it easy for him to push and open himself up to the outside world. A cold breeze slammed into him. Shutting his eyes, he took in a wide breath of it while his ears buzzed with the sounds of early morning life.

Kakariko Village had always been a lively place in spite of its rather surprising small size. At best, it could be described as a sanctuary village. It wasn't like it was entirely hidden away, far from it, but it was a moderately well-defined. It had gone from a sleepy little village to what was rapidly earning the definition of a true urban center.

The population had swelled greatly from a few dozen to easily topping one-hundred, an achievement few had ever believed would happen. In truth, however, the seeds had been planted with Calamity Ganon's defeat. And with help from the neighboring kingdom, they'd had an enhanced growth.

Before, Kakariko Village was a primarily Sheikah-dominated village, their safe-heaven away established centuries ago as to put some distance between them and the royal family. Now, a multitude of Hylians and ordinary humans walked through the paved streets, chatting and conversing with one another as it was just another winter morning. Such a thing brought a smile to Link's face as he stood outside his door watching the countless citizens go about their business. A few took the chance to wave and greet him; for some it had become a routine part of their day. He was able to greet them back with a smile.

That was something else for him to be grateful for, the ability to smile and wave in public. As he looked up to the cloudy sky, the Hylian could have sworn it was a clear mirror reflecting the past, his past. Fittingly, it was so far away.

The voice that chimed in his ears wasn't, however. "I take it you'll be taking your little…toy."

It was laughable how two of the most important women in his life referred to his futuristic mount, his personal mode of transportation as a "toy". Granted, there were times Link _did_ the two-wheeled machine like a toy, periodically to Impa's chagrin. "It'll get me there faster." Link defended. "If you want, I could give you a ride."

"As nice as that would be, I'll take the old horse and carriage. With all due respect…I…would prefer to be alone with my thoughts, and I have a feeling you would prefer it that way as well." As he'd come to call it, the "older sister" look came out in full force. Link didn't sneer at her, he cared for Zelda far too much to ever do that. Instead, he looked away, silently confirming whatever suspicions she might have had; luck was on his side as rarely did Zelda voice any of them. How long that would continue though, the swordsman had no idea. "On top of that, I'd like it if you could go on ahead and make sure everything's running smoothly…as well as ensure that everyone's doing alright."

"If anything happens, I want you to immediately turn around and come back here." Immediately declared the Hylian Champion.

She looked to him with slight worry. They'd gone over this several times. Should anything happen, should the place they're visiting become compromised, there were a number of places for her to retreat to. Given all the trouble he'd gone through in reactivating the Sheikah Towers and shrines, they'd come up with quite a few fallback points. Near top of the least was the Myahm Agana Shrine right outside of Hateno Village.

"Do you think it is foolish of me to hope that this day will pass in peace and quiet like those before it?"

His eyes lightened as he gently patted her on the back. "Nope, it's my job to make sure that happens. Preferable in the only way I know how to as your bodyguard."

Zelda laughed. "Don't sell yourself so short, I know of plenty other ways you can make an area safe for me to visit besides the use of a blade."

"Yeah, but with a blade can be pretty funny." He chuckled returning indoors and leaving the door open for Zelda when she was ready.

She remained outside for just a few moments longer, taking in the sight of the village she'd come to call home for the past almost two years. From the moment she'd laid eyes on the village, she knew deep down in her heart that this sleepy little town would make an ideal place of residence, a home. For how long though, was a question that had lingered in the back of her mind. Now, as more buildings than before littered her view, she realized time had passed and pushed some of those questions back to the forefront. With the number of villagers increasing and new housing and other establishments going up, the chances were high that Kakariko Village wouldn't be a quite little establishment for much longer.

And neither would some of the other settlements throughout the land. Taking all that into account, it was only natural that the kingdom capital couldn't afford to remain in shambles either. Zelda's fists tighten as she turned her back to the world and returned inside.

The future was coming, and she was determined to meet it with all that she had, just as her devoted protector was.

* * *

 _ **Hyrule Field…**_

The ruins remained, and perhaps they always would.

As he rode, Link quietly wondered to himself how long would the scars from a hundred years ago remain. Odds were the answer was forever, or at least another half century. He knew better than most that some scars don't just fade away with time, some persisted. In some ways, it could be seen as miraculous that the ruins from a century ago were still in such condition with all the monsters roaming about. They all told a story to travelers, the story of a once proud and prosperous kingdom that had been utterly decimated by one of the darkest evils to ever walk the earth.

Once, that evil hung in the skies above his destination, a swirling cloud of darkness that was a blight on the blue skies just as the down-beaten Guardians were cruel reminders of a lost battle. None, there was neither.

He rode unhindered across grassy plains and through deep forests and ancient ruins. It took him about three months to clean up Hyrule enough that he could transverse the iconic grassy plains without having to worry about roaming monsters or being spotted by a docile Guardian and of course running for his life to escape its laser attack. Those days seemed almost like a distant memory; Link looked back on them as such as he rode the Master Cycle Zero, its wheels speeding through the dirt and grass alike. Jumping small hills temporarily lifted him into the air filling him with a glorious rush that caused him to press down even harder on the throttle.

Head raised, he continued onward, even as he came into view of the dreaded machines that had been the cause of his first "death". And the bane of his earlier existence as an adventurer.

It was a great relief that when they spotted him, there were no laser sights followed by an ominous glow. Plus, no blast of focused energy that would have seared the flesh from his body. He rode on past the stationary Guardians into the vicinity of what used to be Castle Town.

"Ah! The Hero of Hyrule arrives at least!"

Almost a year ago, when he'd visited Castle Town it had been a skeleton, now it was a patient slowly on the way to recovery.

Though Hyrule banners flew high, a majority of the work force were foreign, Cornulians. Again, given that they were leading a majority of the building equipment, and funding, it was only natural. Still, there was a decent number of Hyrule-natives helping out with reconstruction, especially quite a few Gorons and of Gerudo.

The moment Link's eyes fell on a trio of Gerudo workers, his mind flashed to one certain Gerudo who'd grown to occupy a special place in his heart. Quietly wondering what she was doing, he stirred his bike down the streets, being mindful of construction work going on around him. At every other corner, magic was involved, magicite to be precise. As Hyrule had "formal" claim to the mine found in the Gerudo Desert, it was only natural the magicite in question was used to help rebuild the kingdom capital.

It had long since been decided that in some areas, alright most, the best thing to do was to destroy the remains and start from scratch. For better or for worse, a majority of the Hylian workers had taken some…enthusiasm in demolishing the old stone and even wooden buildings. From a practical standpoint, there was no point in trying to rebuild that which had slipped so deeply into ruin; it'd been a hundred years and the time frame for repair work had long since passed some would say. On the sentimental side…some were just eager to do away with the dark reminders of the past and attempt to build something brand new from scratch. So far, the attempt had been a success.

Worker tents had been set up all over the ruined city, heavy was the sound of construction, stone being blasted apart, built up, and everything in-between. Link had grown rather used to the continuous, hard melody after his third day of working on reconstruction. He found an odd sense of peace in it, another form of his moving on apparently. It could be argued his feelings were a tad on the heartless side as not _all_ of his memories had returned, but enough of them for him to peace together what used to be. For him to visualize what used to be a bustling, vibrant town and a shining royal castle standing at the center. They made for…thought-compelling contrast to the stony corpse he'd first stumbled upon near two years ago.

And now, those memories were overlaid with the booming sounds of deconstruction and reconstruction, stone being broken down so something new could take its place. Unlike the last time, though, magic was heavily involved. Link's pointed ears twitched near nonstop as the heavy layer of magic that was to be expected with such heavy use of magicite. It was used to raise new structures where old ones had once been, planners and architects handing out instructions left and right. Others, especially the Gorons, were doing things simply by hand, including lugging around anything massive enough to require more than two men to lift.

The crown jewel of them all, however, was without a doubt Hyrule Castle.

"Ah, the Hero of the Wilds graces us with his presence, and his help I hope!" Sounded the royal mage waving at him from the front gate.

Having long dismissed his bike, Link gave a polite bow in response to Simon's presence. "Your hopes have been answered. How's reconstruction going so far? Any speed bumps?"

"None so far, but once Lady Zelda arrives, I will truly begin to worry." Commented the bald-headed sorcerer. It went without saying that having such a high priority target amidst such a work-heavy environment was simply asking for trouble. There were simply too many faces and moving bodies to not worry about an assassin slipping in and out. On the other hand, with someone as capable as Link on the scene, the odds of said assassin succeeding in their aim were slim. "How far behind is she, if I may ask?"

"By my guess, she should be here in maybe twenty minutes. In the meantime," he prompted to the bag of tools slung over his shoulder alongside the sheathed Master Sword and his shield. "Where do you need me?"

Ultimately, he was just another worker, albeit one who approached his work with an air of quite seriousness that didn't go completely unnoticed. Clearing away stone and putting in place foundation. It was only to be expected as unlike the hundreds of other workers on the scene this mid-winter morning, he could still remember what the original Castle Town looked like. When asked for his advice, he always gave the same answer, "Don't worry about trying to recruit what it used to be. That was then and this is now, so focus on that."

His advice was taken in spades as a twinkle seemed to shine in the eyes of several workers, specifically the Gerudo. So far, Link had to say that most had adapted quite well to being around men, at least from what he was able to see. Personally, he believed there was one person who was to thank for that.

Almost an hour into his work, he was called back to the castle remains where his royal charge greeted him.

"Three years for one-hundred-percent completion at this rate." She spoke with a slight spring in her voice. Three years, didn't sound so bad, but of course, Link felt the need to play the skeptic.

Crossing his dirt-covered arms, he fired off. "Is that counting any unforeseen…complications?"

"Yes, indeed, which is why I say three years is an optimistic prediction. It could swell to four years or five as winter's been surprisingly light so far." Simon noted looking to the semi-cloudy sky. If the weather turned sour then all work would have to be halted, especially for the Gorons who were providing a good chunk of the backbone of the labor force. "That said…I've taken the liberty of using some…private forces of mine to spruce up some parts of the castle interior."

"And I'm assuming this was done with permission from the Queen of Hyrule and lord of the castle." Inquired Link in a mock stern tone that drew laughs from the two spectators.

Zelda placed a comforting hand on the knight's shoulder, a calm smile boring into his face. "It has, albeit Simon did have to do some convincing. Link…if it's not too much trouble…would you like to come see it?"

With a nod, the two led him through the front gates. Sunlight fluttered in through the countless cracks and holes in the walls and ceiling. No longer did the sanctum possess a dark and gloomy aura, but one of near hope and optimism. Almost five steps in and he stopped, memories of old washing over him as he took in the slight renovations down to the castle interior. Instead of silence, he could hear the sound of multiple footsteps, and the best part of it was it wasn't just his imagination.

The last time he'd been in the Astral Observatory, it'd been tinted an ominous reddish-violet color and with malice heavy in the air. Oh, and above him lay a giant techno-organic sack from which came an abomination of Sheikah technology and flesh that just vaguely resembled a humanoid, except it possessed several disgusting spider-like legs and a "sack" that railed behind it like some sort of twisted tail. Link had taken immense pleasure in wailing away at the monstrosity that was Calamity Ganon, screaming in primal fury nearly seventy-percent of the fight.

Thankfully, there was no monster "egg" rooted to the top of the observatory, nor were the walls tinted red with blood. He and Zelda walked into a darken auditorium, the former immensely curious as to was about to happen. His question was answered with a snap of the fingers.

Hundreds of stars exploded into existence around the trio, though only one of them had their mouths drop in slack-jawed awe at what he was seeing. For the physical elder of the group, he merely stood back and watched the excitement and amazement swell on the faces of the two youngsters. Zelda put a hand to her mouth, emotion threatening to overcome her just as it did for Link. It was of a slightly different variety for her as while her faithfully bodyguard had only spent a few minutes at best in this once glorious chamber, Zelda had spent years in its darkness. Now, the darkness had become celestial light.

Stars parted way for massive, pulsing orbs of light that were planets, the vast spheres that existed beyond the planet they called home. At least according to the scholars of the ancient past, and the present apparently. Faintly, the two Hylians heard another snap and the great cosmos was replaced with a sprawling map of the land of Hyrule, as the lands beyond it. To the northwest sat the also resurgent land of Cornulia. Dotting the landscape were a number of colored sparkles, all of which eventually came together to form the spread wings and the Triforce, the national emblem of the Kingdom of Hyrule.

Simon coughed catching the pair's attention. "I know in the grand scheme of things, this observatory probably won't change much, at least not if we have to worry about a meteor shower striking the land…but, well, we in Cornulia have a certain interest in the stars and the sky. We like to watch them, at times believing that our prayers can reach the stars and they will be answered."

"Well…the people of Hyrule prayed for an end to the darkness of Calamity Ganon…and that prayer was answered." Commented the blonde queen looking to the swordsman at her side. "This observatory was originally began under my grandfather's reign, and was completed during my father's…"

Link's gaze was directed toward the desert, represented as a vast bronze expanse with the magicite mine highlighted as a mass of rainbow-colored light. "And now it's been rebuilt under yours…and better than ever." Feeling bold, he reached for his Sheikah Slate and snapped a picture of the multi-colored glow, quickly sending it along with a message to someone whom he knew would appreciate it. "When we have a big gathering of Hyrule's leaders and Prince Zaltan, we'll be able to show them this. Should be fun, huh?"

Zelda smiled back at him, thinking of such a moment. She imagined it wouldn't be for maybe another three to even five years. Hopefully by then at least Castle Town would be in prime enough conditions for people to begin moving back. She knew full well that her golden hair would likely be stricken gray when she could do as her father did, look out over a bustling city and beyond to a kingdom thriving with life. _Father…you have my word…I will make Hyrule's future as bright as the stars shining above me. I swear it._

Originally, Link wanted to just send one picture, but he couldn't help himself in sending more. He hoped when Riju got the time to she was able to view them all. And he hoped one day, he'd be able to show her this newly rebuilt observatory in all of its splendor. If that day came, he hoped he'd be able to wrap his arm around her, kiss her, love her, in open public. _One day…Riju, I promise you…one day._

* * *

 **Not much action, which was my intention. I don't want to go super-heavy on having a big fight or calamity every other chapter, though as everyone alluded to this chapter around, the bad guys have been unusually quiet. Will that continue next chapter when I show Riju's side of things and how the Gerudo are doing after the four month time skip? You all will have to wait a week or two to get an answer to that one. I put in a dab of Link/Mipha interaction to show while Link's mostly moving on, his mind still drifts back to his first love every now and then, especially when he feels like everything around him is moving forward.**

 **Next chapter should be out in about two weeks or so, and it will feature a more in-depth discussion of a certain trident-wielding "ghost" that seems to have dropped off the radar, for now. Until then, readers!**


	10. Chapter 10-Back from the Brink Pt2

**Hey, everyone! The second chapter of the new year and…yeah, quite a bit's changed. Hopefully you're keeping in high spirits, and if not maybe this latest chapter can help with that. Last chapter showed what Link's been getting up to. Here's Riju's side of things!**

 **I do not own anything.**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 10-Back from the Brink Pt.2**_

As a Gerudo, Riju always possessed something of a…particular relationship with water. Like almost all forms of life, Gerudo needed water in order to survive. Unlike most races, the land they called home ran short on it, or at least compared to other domains. They lived in a desert, where water was scarce and fights over it were all too common. Then again, the first generation of Gerudo had supposedly learned fast and found ways to secure enough water for their civilization to begin flourishing. It was something that every young Gerudo had been raised to take pride in, and Riju was one of them.

Water was precious, it was pure and serene, the polar opposite of the sand that she had grown up with. It was without a thought, part of the essence of life, it was essential for life to prosper, unlike the sand that made up her homeland. Sand wasn't really life-giving, it was life-taking, draining. In the ancient libraries, Gerudo sorceresses made great use in using their homeland's native sand to quite literally drain the moisture, the life, from their enemies. Such acts had fed into the already fearsome reputation the all-woman race held. Riju had admitted some curiosity in such tales, but they didn't appeal to her personal taste. The powers of water on the other hand were fascinating.

She didn't see what a beach looked like until she was seven years old, back when her parents had still been alive. Taking her down there to see the beach shores had been one of her happiest memories. On top of those memories, new ones had come along; those involving a certain blond-haired Hylian taking top place amongst those involving her parents and family.

Speaking of said Hylian, he'd told her much about the water. It made sense that he would know, after all, he'd spent quite a bit of time down by Zora's Domain, which was naturally since before her, he'd previously been involved with a Zora, the princess of the tribe no less.

Riju bit her cheeks throughout the entire meeting, even as she opened her mouth to speak to her advisors and the council members. While she kept up appearances, her true attention was off somewhere else, off to the distant land of the merefolk that called the water their home and knew nothing of the harsh desert that was hers. For the first time in hundreds of years, those two races were about to have contact with each other, and Riju would be on the frontlines of it.

 _I wonder if the fates had this planned, if so, then I hope they get a good laugh out of it._ Somewhat bitterly thought the redhead. _On the other hand…this could all just be chance, odd coincidence._ While everyone else was discussing political matters, Riju could only half focus on such topics. As chieftain, she should have been giving it her whole brain power, though that wasn't what she was doing. She was only giving it half because only one half of her was thinking as a chieftain, the other half was thinking as a woman…a woman who was in love with a man who was formerly engaged to the princess of the Zora. Wouldn't that have caused quite a scandal if it got out?

Riju was able to take a slim bit of solace in the hope that it wouldn't on this trip. After all, the only people who knew of her relationship with Link were…the two of them really. They'd been incredibly careful in covering their tracks, but that could only extend so far and for so long. She hoped that one day, they could go public with their relationship, but the young chieftain knew that day was far off, very far off. And it most certainly wouldn't and couldn't be done in the homeland of his first love.

A century ago and beyond, visitors to Zora's domain was a tad more common, albeit one had to take precautions, namely ensuring they had breathable air or were near a place where the Zora could be conversed with. Interacting with a race that lived in the water wasn't quite as easy as some thought. Gorons in particular stayed far away from Zora's Domain and the surrounding lands while she and the rest of the Gerudo maintained simple contact. There had been times when they'd traded with them; water from Zora's Domain's domain was comparable to gold, especially if it could maintain its "purity" while within the Gerudo Desert. Said purity was why it was considered almost custom for the cool waters to be drunken or used hours after arriving in the desert. As with many things, such exchanges had stopped a hundred years ago, but now, they were on the verge of being brought back.

Riju had tasted water from Zora's Domain before, a private venture into the outside world. Of course, it'd been shared with Link and Zelda. That had been a great afternoon, especially since Link had pulled her to the side for some private time. There would be some "private time" to be had on this up incoming trip, but it'd be just her…and perhaps her lover's fiancé's ghost.

That's who she was truly looking forward to seeing, as well as dreading. _It's because I know our relationship can't move forward unless we get this out of the way. Heh, well, it's one of the things keeping us from moving forward. Having to keep it a secret is certainly doing its part as well._

Her eyes silently drifted to her bodyguard, who stood at her side. She'd be at her side throughout the entire trip, especially with enemies to Hyrule and Cornelia still at large.

Security was always on the list when discussing travel. In the last century, those brave few who'd ventured into Hyrule, especially foreign nobles and the like _always_ made sure they had protection. Hyrule had gained a rather infamous reputation that was slowly but steadily being corrected. That said, times were still dangerous. "Ahem, I have something I'd like to say." She spoke up catching the attention of everyone in the meeting chamber. "Now that we've arrived at the point of armed escorts, I have a personal list of who it is I'd like to take with me…and place as our ambassadors."

Several eyes enlarged at her statement, and some sets of mouths curved upward into smiles. Riju paid them only a moment's mind as she reached for the set of scrolls that she'd brought with her and handed them out. Leaning back into her chair, she watched the reactions; while most of them seemed to be positive, Riju didn't quite feel like letting her guard down. She'd learned that a look of satisfaction could be nothing more than act of placating.

"Lady Riju," Began Qadira with a glint in her eyes. "It seems that you truly have been coming into bloom all this time, your mother would be proud."

At the mention of her deceased mother, Riju felt her heart stir and lips briefly tremble. Quickly, she regained control and crossed her legs and laced her fingers. "Thank you for the praise, Qadira, but now I'd like to know what you all think. Come on, out with it, I refuse to believe that everyone here is in full agreement with my plans. No matter how small or big, I want to hear your opinions."

"We fear you may be overstretching us, your highness." Councilwoman Maris spoke up almost immediately. As Riju had requested, she spoke her mind, blatant and direct as possible. "While the attacks a month ago weren't not what you'd call crippling, they did put us on high alert…and force us to open up to the outside world."

"Which we are still doing with a grain of salt, or as much of a grain as it can be considered." Added Sabah. It seemed she'd been waiting for someone else to speak up for her so she could leapfrog off of them. It wasn't too surprising given when the conversation was moving. "You have seen emissaries all across Hyrule, some of whom are trained and others…who are not. Luckily, the goddesses have blessed us with few incidents, but you have also sent military garrisons out to train the common folk, _Hylian_ common folk."

Riju reached forward and took a sip of her goblet. "Well, Hyrule is rebuilding itself and a nation isn't exactly back at a hundred-percent, or even feasible without an army." Her tone was measured, just as her mother's and great-aunt's had been when they led the clan. Those who remembered those times looked to her with an air of shock, and even approval, on their faces. "While we are receiving aid in reforming a national army, wouldn't it bode well in the long run if the army's roots could be traced back to us Gerudo? Not to mention we Gerudo are the most battle-capable members of Hyrule's population." Riju was well aware that there were some who'd take offense to that statement, but as far as she was concerned, it was the truth. The cold truth. "Adding to that…I don't believe it's fair that the issue of training a new Hyrule army falls squarely on Link's shoulders."

And there went the other elephant in the room. There were many open secrets throughout the land, one of them was that the last of the original Champions was without a doubt Hyrule's most skilled fighter. But he was only one man, and Link himself had stated that he didn't believe he was that good of a teacher. In some ways, he was still the socially awkward young man he had been over a century ago. He could be sent out to exterminate an army of monsters and out of control Guardians and confront the Yiga with nothing but a sword and shield…but those things could only go on for so long, one of the reasons being out of sheer pride.

"Lady Riju, I'm assuming you're aware of the…foreign presence in our country, are you?" Nisrina spoke up. Her always acute glare moved throughout the room before finally settling on Riju. She'd come to accept that no longer could the Gerudo remain isolated from the rest of the world, specifically the rest of Hyrule. They were all citizens of one land, so there was no point in denying that fact, no matter what some hardliners insisted. "The Cornelian army has been occupying the country for the last month, I know that I am just one of the many voices speaking out against such a thing. And no, I do not just mean here in the Gerudo Desert."

"No, you are no, Nisrina, but this isn't something we can blindly rush." Politely countered the chieftain.

"She is right, Nisrina, albeit I can see where you are coming from." Qadira stated raising her hand to speak and grabbing the room's attention. "That said, I do believe steps have to be taken to ensure that Hyrule doesn't become completely swallowed up. It will take time for the country to rebuild its strength, time that will likely see us elders returned to the sands from which we came and Lady Riju a proud and strong woman just like her mother and grandmother and great-aunt."

"That's all well and good, Qadira, but what we are looking at is what could happen now, or in the next year or two." Near snarled Maris. "I for one, agree with sending out our troops to the rest of Hyrule, to train the fledglings that are at least willing to pick up a sword. The Yiga are still out there, and they can convert any weak-minded fool over to their cause, not to mention we'll need an army bigger than the thousands-strong that we have now, especially if-"

"Maris!" Boomed Nisan. The black-haired Gerudo was glaring hard at her fellow elder, albeit she was getting the same treatment herself.

"All this time," Maris snarled, her fingers curling. She looked like a desert wild cat in the midst of a stand-off. "All of this time and we have been able to find little in picking up the trail on Phantom Ganon. He is out there, somewhere, and we need to find him and put him down for good this time."

"While I agree with you on that sentiment, Maris, we have to be cautious about this as well." Sabah cautioned. "We have to face the possibility that Ganondorf may attempt to strike at Gerudo Town again. He may make another attempt on Lady Riju's life, and that would cripple everything."

A chorus of murmurs broke out; Riju bit her tongue and keep silent. She _hated_ the very thought that somewhere out there, her people's old shame was still running loose. The sentiment was shared by every woman in the room, and the thousands beyond the meeting chamber's walls and beyond. It was safe to say that the surprise attack of the phantom bearing the likeness of the King of Evil. Scouts had been sent out far and wide, but very little had turned up; instead, they'd been forced to wait for the phantom to pop its head out somewhere, along with the Yiga Clan. The chieftain noticed that the clan of rogue Sheikah had somewhat taken a backseat to the threat o the possibly resurrected Ganondorf, though it was for good reason. A good majority of the Gerudo thought of them as annoyances, especially after Link slew their leader over two years ago.

Her fingers tapped against the arm of her throne while her face bent in concentration. If there was a move to be made, Riju knew that it would come from the rogue tribe. Covert actions were their preferred methods, and that wasn't likely to change, especially now that Hyrule had access to magical stones and another national force in the region. Furthermore, Link had with him the Master Sword and Zelda, her spiritual powers, two weapons that could potentially put the reborn Ganondorf down again were they to meet in mortal combat. Of course, Riju wasn't so sure that's how things would go down, not if the Yiga had any say in the matter. Speaking of which…

"Everyone, I have something to say on the matter of the Yiga Clan, specifically their hideout." Began the teenage chieftain once more catching everyone's attention. Once she had it, she summoned all the imposing power that she could as she began to speak again. "Ever since the attack, we have sent scouts there to investigate it. When they returned, they reported nothing out of the ordinary. Regardless, we have had a garrison placed there, constantly on the lookout for anything unusual."

"At this point, I believe it's become a waste of womanpower to be honest." Nisrina muttered. Her thoughts were echoed on the faces of several.

"I agree Nisrina, it is a drain on our resources, but it can also be something useful. Specifically, we can use it as bait." As she hoped, her words caught the attention of everyone in the room. "We have kept strict guard over the keep, but not once has it crossed anyone's minds to actually use it to serve us? To Serve Hyrule?" Her back hit the solid surface of her throne providing cold assurance to her. Before her, the six council members debated amongst themselves; no, it wasn't just them. Even the guards stationed up in the rafters were quietly looking to one another.

Maris grunted. "Ages ago, before even Lady Urbosa's time, their hideout was a sacred temple. The fact that we never could reclaim it, the fact that we never tried…" A deep snarl of anger filtered from the old warrior's pressed lips once more giving her the look of a beast about to attack.

"That's because we had other things we had to contend with, like the safety of the village and keeping the Yiga at bay." Yūlyu spoke in an attempt to calm the rising anger of her colleague. "The Yiga, while they are still out there, have largely abandoned the temple, a fact that I still find strange, though I believe that is the point, isn't it, Lady Riju?"

"Exactly." She answered. "As loath as we are to admit it, the Yiga have had over fifty years to explore every cranny of that temple while our own records regarding them have been lost. I say stop standing guard waiting for them to come back and explore them ourselves. I'm sure the Yiga have left some traps of their own. I'm also willing to bet when they were moving in, they tripped those left by our ancestors." The momentary laugh she let out was echoed by the rest of the room, the _entire_ room. It seemed the prospect of the traitorous ninja getting skewered by their ancestors' leftover defenses was something that could break all the tension and bring out the good mood in everyone. Once that collective laughter passed, Riju continued to speak. "I'm also willing to venture that when the Yiga vacated the temple, they left behind some traps and maybe even surveillance devices behind. Knowing the history of the temple, they know we Gerudo won't be able to keep ourselves away."

"All that said, Lady Riju for such a time to make a move such as this." Yūlyu began shaking her head.

"We're going to have to do it at some point, besides, as Lady Riju argued earlier, Hyrule is going to be needing an army." Maris rumbled, having regained her self-control. Both of her old wrinkled hands were now laced together and her eyes shined with sharp intuition. "That old temple was used by the Yiga as a training facility for their own number. I believe it's high time we did the same, especially since it was originally ours to begin with. While Lady Riju heads out to Zora's Domain, I propose putting together a party to enter and reclaim the temple for ourselves and Hyrule."

Yet again, another ring of chatter ran through the room.

Naturally, there was someone who spoke up, challenging the suggestion. "Maris, as ideal as such a thing would be, we're already taxing manpower as it is. Not to mention what records we do have of the temple's deepest interior will have to be found. While Master Link did an ample job in stealing back the Thunder Helm, he didn't particularly explore the facility's inner levels, which are no doubt still filled with traps and perhaps even other treasures." Qadira spoke up.

"That's another thing, I still wonder why did they abandon the temple after Link slew Kohga. Was the man really that important to the clan?" Nisan pondered.

"From what I have been told, yes, yes he was." Riju answered while just barely suppressing an amused grin. Her blond lover hadn't skipped out on the details in describing just how buffoonish the grand master of the Yiga Clan had been. It was so outlandish that Riju was tempted to believe that the whole clan couldn't possibly be as bad as all the legends made them out to be. Then came those subtle little reminders. "For a brief history lesson, while Link sneaked his way in, after defeating Kohga, he essentially slashed his way out of the hideout, which severely reduced the strength of Yiga, or at least their main branch. Odds were with the hideout breached in such a way, they concluded it was no longer viable. Regardless, we will perhaps be finding out ourselves." She felt Buliara's eyes on her. They were going to be having a talk after this meeting was over with and they had some privacy to themselves.

Likewise, she saw the looks that several of the elders were giving each other and noted that they too would be having some private discussions. Just like that, they'd created the next round of gossip to sweep across the desert. One by one, they all looked to Riju and nodded to her, giving her their support while at the same time telling her that this topic would be discussed more in-depth at a later point. Preferably after the trip to Zora's Domain had been completed, and hopefully without too much difficulty.

Speaking of Zora's Domain, Riju realized it was time to close that matter of that topic. "Alright then, back to the topic of my up incoming visit. Are there any objections to who it is I will be taking along with me?" Silence greeted her. "Now then, are there any objections to _me_ personally going?" Again, silence, albeit an exchange of looks rolled across the room. Still, no one spoke up. "Good, then that's everything."

* * *

 _ **Twenty Minutes later, Royal Courtyard…**_

"Lady Riju, I won't be able to change your mind on this, will I?" Buliara questioned. Her resigned expression more than said that she already knew what the answer to her question would be.

In spite of that, Riju humored her. "If I have to choose between seeing with my own eyes and waiting on a throne for information, I shall choose the former. Buliara, I'm quite aware of the risks I'm taking. I'm also well aware of how it looks like I'm trying to prove myself."

The dedicated bodyguard stopped and looked to her charge, who herself had stopped and returned her gaze. It was clear that Buliara wanted to say something, but the words to transmit her thoughts and feelings simply couldn't be found, or they simply refused to leave her throat. Riju's emerald eyes, eyes that were normally soft, had a certain hardness in them. Buliara had seen that hardness several times over the course of her life, namely from her mother, the previous chieftain. The veteran warrior's lips curved into a warm smile as the fond memories ran through her head; they happily aligned with the present as she continued to hold the gaze of her charge. Buliara always had faith that Riju would grow up to be just a fine of chieftain as her mother and grandmother and great-aunt, their blood, the blood of the Gerudo's finest, flowed through her veins. That blood was showing through here and now.

"Alright, but if you're going to do this, don't expect me to go easy on you in your training." Finally surrendered the swordswoman. The response she got was a hearty laugh.

"I would want nothing less, especially from you. Besides, if I'm not up to snuff, I won't be able to face the others."

"And by that…do you mean…the rest of Hyrule's leaders? Including Cornulia's leaders? Lady Riju, I'll say this as many times as I must, you have-"

"I do, Buliara. We Gerudo are a warrior people, we always have, and will likely remain for some time in the future." Gently retorted the younger red head. Her heels clicked against the sandstone pathway as she continued to walk through the hallway towards the open expanse she and her bodyguard often used for sparring. "While you can make the argument that times are peaceful now, we're technically speaking in the throes of a shadow war. There will be more attempts on my life, and likely those of Zelda and the others'. We must be ready for those; _I_ must be ready." A thin line of anger ran through her voice. Buliara was quiet as said anger resonated in her, stirring her own. The surprise appearance of the phantom had caught everyone off-guard, and left quite a few steaming they weren't able to take a crack at him.

In the days after the attack, as the shock and trauma had worn off, Riju had come to theorize that the Phantom Ganon she and Zelda had battled perhaps wasn't at full power. More accurately, she _hoped_ the phantom was severely lacking in power. If that turned out to be the case, then how much power had the King of Evil recovered in the months since his sudden appearance. The answer would make itself evident at some point in the future, and when it did, Riju prayed it wasn't too great they couldn't overcome it.

She was going to make sure that no matter how powerful he may have been, he could be defeated. That had been the driving force behind all of her sparring sessions since that day. Buliara and the rest of her royal guard had noticed the change, they too had undergone some changes of their own. Just as Riju had kicked up her training, so too had every Gerudo who could hold up a blade. The surprise attack had left a mark on all of them, one that remained almost half a year later. It wouldn't fade until the spirit of Ganondorf had been hunted down and exterminated, this time, once and for all.

Steel clashed against steel as the chieftain and her protector clashed against one another in another practice match. Ever since Riju turned ten, she'd sparred with Buliara. In the beginning, it had been playful sparring that had gradually grown in intensity as she grew older. Here they were, almost ten years later with the two of them now fighting on roughly even-footing with one another. No longer could Buliara hope that her charge could be kept from the outside world, but that also meant that she could go a little harder on her. Riju always welcomed her to do so; she'd grown particularly eager since Link had returned to Hyrule and liberated Hyrule over a year ago. A new era was dawning, and the sixty-ninth Chieftain of the Gerudo Tribe longed to leave her footprint on it, as well as survive it. She knew that the new age wasn't going to be a bloodless one.

It was after one particularly intense sparring session that Riju had told Buliara to not be afraid if she ever drew blood against her. The royal-blooded teen informed her that _she_ was most definitely going for the same against her. Buliara had been quiet stunned, but the warrior in her had been forced to accept it. The girl that she'd personally seen as her own surrogate child was growing up, quite fast at that. Following that afternoon, their training sessions jumped up in intensity.

Riju had grown stronger, much stronger, since she'd first started her training. Buliara's heart swelled with pride with that realization, but her near motherly worry also grew as well. Was she doing enough? Was her training regiment enough? Was Riju ready to head out there into the great big open world? The last part was rather foolish considering that she had been to the outside world already, several times, albeit she'd always been there, as had Hyrule's last remaining Champion who defended her with his life as he did the Hylian Princess. But such defenses wouldn't always be there, eventually, there could come a time when Riju would be on her own.

Blow after blow, she proved that she wouldn't be helpless. The chieftain had been trained not just by her bodyguard and fellow Gerudo, but by her secret lover as well. Said lover was the strongest warrior in all of Hyrule and had experience in using every type of weapon imaginable, from swords to bows to axes to spears to even boomerangs. Some of that wisdom had been imparted onto her, it had even made up the bedrock of some of their dates. Riju had enjoyed those dates quite a bit, no doubt because it called to the warrior woman that slumbered within her. She was incredibly grateful that when that side of her awoke, Link wasn't turned off by it, sometimes it seemed quite the opposite. The attraction he showed only spurred her onward.

An audience had slowly gathered around the courtyard, yet another common occurrence. Sparring matches were a common means of entertainment in Gerudo Town. A sparring match including the chieftain herself, well, that was all too juicy to pass up, especially to voe and other dignitaries who'd happened to be visiting. They got quite a show.

Riju's fighting style with a sword was quite atypical of most Gerudo-favoring swiftness and precision. A flurry of sword slashes that either overwhelmed an opponent or were merely a distraction, bait, to lure the enemy in as the flurry slowed down and the enemy believed they'd tired themselves out. She couldn't count the number of times she'd been left physically drained after a sparring session, but after each one, bit by bit, she found herself able to go on just a little longer. She was strong, but nowhere near as strong as the likes of some, but what she focused on were speed and endurance, things that could allow her to outlast and outwit her opponents. Of course, such a fighting style wasn't unique to her.

Such tactics had also been ingrained into Buliara. She watched her pupil's movements, watching for feints that were meant to lure her in. A few of them, she actually fell for resulting in either a near miss, or an outright light cut to the arm or cheek. Blood dripped down from several cuts, mixing with the sweat that had been worked up from the training session. Likewise, the chieftain herself had a mixture of blood and sweat on her. Still, she was smiling, showing her excitement as was her bodyguard.

 _ **CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!**_

Several jumped as the ringing of steel accelerated. It seemed that the two Gerudo were in the midst of some sort of dance. For the Gerudo watching, that was what it was, the "dance of steel", as it had eventually been called. Some leaned in close and explained it to visitors.

Quite a few ere looking between the two clashing warriors with a look that could only be called amazement. They were indeed amazed, and some one could argue aroused.

 _ **CLANG!**_

"My, my, you certainly have improved, my lady." Buliara huffed not batting an eye at her scimitar, now implanted in the ground five feet from her. That didn't mean that she was defenseless.

Smirking, Riju readied herself knowing that her bodyguard was about to come at her with her fits. "We all cannot remain the same forever. Besides, it is my dream to one day best you in combat, with neither of us holding back. Sadly, that day isn't today."

No sooner had she finished the words was Buliara sprinting towards her. The veteran warrior threw her fist out to which Riju brought her sword up to parry. Instead of cutting flesh, she instead felt like her weapon was running up against rock. Quickly, she pulled her arm, and thus the blade back, and just in time. Jaws dropped as spectators witnessed the experienced bodyguard deflecting blows from the chieftain's sword barehanded. Those with keen eyes noticed the steady flow of white energy surrounding her fists, energy that glowed bright when Riju's sword made contact with Buliara's flesh. Speaking of which, the younger Gerudo was not blind to her guard's usage of the Light Force. Nor was she the only one who knew how to use it.

A brief whitish glow surrounded Riju's blade, the glow intensifying as she swung it in a swift vertical arc that Buliara side-stepped. The trained warrior, as well as several spectators, saw the translucent blue wave of compressed air and energy that went flying from the sword. That wasn't all, Riju reared her sword back, predicting Buliara's next attack. Instead, she feinted, making it seem like she would charge ahead when in reality she made a spring for her sword. Riju's eyes widened, then a grin formed on her face. Heart pounding, she dug deep in the depths of her soul and then pulled. She threw her arm out, light green sparks dancing between her finger-tips. Those same sparks danced along Buliara's blade just as her fingers gripped the handle. Instead of a swift reclaiming, the bodyguard felt like she was trying to dislodge a boulder from its resting place.

With her young charge coming at her, the task was abounded forcing her to go on the defensive. The chieftain's attacks came swift and fast, each one edging closer and closer until her excitement grew leading her to attempt a wide horizontal slash that left a light scratch across Buliara's back as she twirled away. Riju paused if only for a second to catch her breath, but that second was all Buliara needed to surge forward with a spinning side kick that caught Riju off-guard. Stumbling to the side, she was left wide-open to the warrior's next few assaults, all of which spared nothing in power as Riju's body lit up with pain. In a moment, she was lying on her backside, staring up at the midday sky. But not for long.

Back on her feet, she was not detorted by the rearmament of her sparring party, she saw it as exhilarating.

As the two swords met each other once again, a loud crack sounded against the stone ground. All eyes turned to the epicenter of it. She had been one who'd been following the fight quite closely, her old eyes watching every move and her head occasionally nodding in approval.

"Lady Sabah." Buliara started sheathing her sword and bowing in respect.

"You two seemed to be getting into it, again. I suppose it truly proves that you're our late Lady Urbosa's descendant." Chuckled the blue-eyed council elder which in turn caused Riju to blush. "That little trick you pulled, you've been practicing your electromagnetism, haven't you?"

"It could come in handy one day. After all, most weapons are made of metal, not to mention I've heard some rumors that those who've mastered it could also fly."

"Thinking about leaving the sands behind?" Jabbed the elder with a raised eyebrow.

"No, ma'am, I have too much invested here on Din's beloved earth." Laughed off the teenage chieftain. Gazing around, she saw that now that the action had stopped, the onlookers were now beginning to move on. Some still cast lingering looks directed toward her and Buliara, especially Buliara. _If I can get her a boyfriend, it might take some of the pressure off of me and Link. Someone for Buliara, she'd trip over herself at the first praise!_ The giggle that came from the mental image was repressed as she kept a semi-professional expression in front of the conservative councilwoman.

"Riju, if you don't mind, there are some things that I'd like to discuss with you." Sabah started.

"I had a feeling that was coming. Buliara?"

"Yes, I'll head down to the kitchen and see what the chefs can whip up."

"Nothing too heavy if you don't mind. Perhaps some tea at best." Clarified the elder Gerudo.

"Lemon juice." Riju declared with a twinkle in her eye. Her bodyguard caught it and smiled as she departed, not at all paying any mind to the minor injuries and sweat on her body. It wouldn't be the first time that she moved through the chieftain's residence in such a state. Knowing Buliara, it wouldn't last long, she'd return, no doubt with the drinks and some towels and bandages for Riju.

They walked together to one of the stone tables set up in the courtyard. It offered a nice view of a nearby garden, complete with a pond feed by a small stream that could be traced all the way back into the city and its greater water irrigation system. While fighting and survival were points of pride for the Gerudo, so too was engineering. It was yet another crucial skill they'd needed to survive in the harsh desert they now called home.

Just before they sat down, Sabah requested that the chieftain stand in front of her. Riju blinked in surprise as she did so. Her jaw dropped as the council elder held her hand out, a soft blue light emitted from her palm and spread over the chieftain. Immediately, Riju thought to the blessed healing ability her boyfriend possessed, an ability that had been passed onto him by his deceased finance.

"A…little piece of the outside world." Sabah explained pulling her hand back. All the injuries however minor they were had been healed. She took a seat and patiently waited for Riju to do the same. Once she did, she continued to explain herself. "The outside world, a world that I once shunned until I gained family that lived in it, forced me to explore it. Now, that outside world is integrating us into it."

"You don't sound particularly angry about that." Noted the teenage redhead.

Sabah laughed. "Well, there are some things you must simply learn to accept. For example, if you smell a storm brewing on the wind, you must accept that it's coming and react accordingly. I had to accept that my daughter had ventured out and found love, heh, with a Zora of all people. In accepting that…I think I'm more prepared to be of service to you, Lady Riju, and perhaps have a place in this new era."

To Riju, it was a relief to hear that. There was the professional support one could count on, but then there were moments like these. These moments were personal feelings and the motivations behind them came to light. "If you don't mind me asking, how exactly did you react when Jaleh told you that she was going to marry?"

The elderly Gerudo sat up straight in her seat bringing with her an air of regality that came with her station. "When she said she was heading out into the outside world, I quietly accepted the possibility that she would…find a voe, one whom she would potentially settle down with. It's like tasting fine liquor, once you have gotten a taste, you can't go back." Her hand rose to take hold of the fish-scale necklace that she wore around her neck. It was an iconic symbol of hers, a gift from her Zora son-in-law whom she respected and cherished just as much as she did her own flesh-and-blood daughter. The silver scale glistened in the midday sun bringing a smile to the faces of the two Gerudo, especially Sabah. "One can't stay hidden away in the darkness forever, at some point, we must all step out into the light. I truly realized that when I attended Jaleh and Akela's wedding. A part of me…hoped this wouldn't be the last cross-race marriage that I'd ever attend. Can you believe that?"

"Sorta, you're nowhere near as hard as you try to make everyone believe." Winked the younger Gerudo as their refreshments were brought over. "Now that we've opened the borders and begun rebuilding the country, you may just see that, and so much more."

"Hah! Maybe, provided the men of these generation can handle us Gerudo. Would you say so?"

A cocky smirk adorned Riju's face. _I'm inclined to believe so, albeit I'm not sure if Link qualifies as a man of 'this' generation._ Where the blond Hylian fell in terms of categories was always a fun topic whenever they got together, the same went for others who turned their eye to the Hero of the Wild. "I'm willing to give some the benefit of the thought. After all, making their way in the wild left quite a few with the kind of backbone they'll need to handle us Gerudo. In fact, I believe there are some other there who'll find out ways rather…intriguing."

"Surprisingly, we've had few incidents since opening our town's doors to men. Minus the disguises. I for one, am thankful that there will be no more of that."

"True, but we miss out on all of the humor."

"Stories that will in time become legends, I'm sure."

Both Gerudo laughed as they pictured how quickly those stories would become distorted. Riju knew she'd likely be the one who'd live long enough to see and hear them, as well as be one of the only ones to know the truth. Of course, that was banking on the possibility that she lived into her twilight years. The future seemed so far away, yet Riju always felt like it was coming up on her, rather she liked it or not. It was only fitting since she was such a vocal supporter of the coming "new age". What that new age would look like, she didn't truly know, neither did Zelda or even Link. No one knew, but they all had to face it none the less.

When she looked to that future and tried to visualize it, Riju thought of Link. At heart, she couldn't picture any sort of future without him in it…without him potentially at her side. To get there, they'd have to go public one day. Was that day getting closer? Was it right around the corner for all she knew?

"Jaleh tells me that they've made quite a number of modifications and improvements to Zora's Domain." Chimed the council elder. "They'd built up quite a bit on the surface, heh, Jaleh has had some hand in it, as has little Jorah." Her lips twitched upward at the image of her Zora grandson. He too was another unexpected joy of the outside world that she cherished with all of her heart. "By the way, he's looking forward to seeing you."

"M-Me?" Riju squeaked with naked shock.

"Yes, you are the chieftain of the Gerudo, his mother's race. Heh, come to think of it, he's spent his whole life in Zora's Domain, he's never been out here, to the Gerudo Desert." Following a long sip, Sabah sat back and laughed. "To be fair though, that'd be a tad hard considering he was born a Zora. Our land…it's much too dry for the Zora to bear. Instead, we must venture out of our lands and into theirs. A part of me is still a tad miffed about such a thing."

A chuckle flew from the teenager's lips. That was the Sabah that she knew, speaking for the more conservative members of the Gerudo race. They were still quite a proud race.

"Well, maybe one day if we can transform our land from the desert wastes that it is, we can see a mass migration of Zora." Riju offered, raising her glass in honor of such a memory.

Sabah scuffed, but laughed none the less. If such a thing came about, she doubted she'd live to see it. At best, she had maybe fifteen or so more years left in her, enough time to hopefully see her grandson grow into a young adult as well as watch over her daughter and son-in-law. As optimistic as she was becoming, she didn't believe that their land could be changed in such a small timespan. Their land had been as it was for over seven-thousand years. Throughout that time, sandstorms so fierce they'd seemed almost like divine punishment had battered at their civilization. Still, they had endured, and rebuilt time after time, such was the nature of their resiliency.

Maybe Riju's time would be when those long years of endurance paid off in a big way, a way that would leave its mark on history for centuries to come.

* * *

 _ **Four Days Later, Lanaryu Province…**_

" _A long trudge through monster-filled forests. It was pretty much an exercise run!"_

" _That's an…interesting way of putting it. You were attempting to hype yourself up, weren't you? You could feel it in your bones, that what awaited you at the end was going to be something big, something that was going to require all of your strength, didn't you?"_

" _Pretty much. It was…the deeper I went, the further I went, the more familiar everything became. Once I crossed Oren Bridge, that's when my head started pounding, even as I slashed my way through packs of monsters in the middle of the pouring rain."_

" _That sounds like a miserable experience."_

" _It was. But…I had to keep on going. Something inside of me pressed me to keep on going, even when I felt tired, I knew that I had to keep on going. Getting to Zora's Domain…"_

" _Link, you don't have to talk about it."_

" _I do, because I want you to know. Riju, you have a_ _ **right**_ _to know."_

Thanks to the out of control Vah Ruta, the rain had been never-ending, continuously dousing the surrounding lands in an endless downpour. The constant moisture also made shock arrows and the likes an even greater choice for the roaming monsters. Those monsters were now gone, as were the dangers that came with them. In their place was now what could be called a more organized path through the winding and jagged hills and ridges that led up to Zora's Domain. Gone too was the constant rain, a handful of clouds drifted through the blue sky, at times temporarily blotting out the late autumn sun that beat down on the land.

All of it was somewhat foreign to the Gerudo who traveled behind her, a group of consisting of almost sixty souls in total. Over half of them were warriors, while the other near half were artisans, merchants, and diplomats, _her_ diplomats. Needless to say, it was quite an entourage to take from out of the desert, across Hyrule, and into the lands opposite of them. Breaks had been filled with many expressing awe and bewilderment at the lands beyond the sands and rock her people called home. As they progressed deeper into the Lanaryu Province, a land that was almost mythical to them, their intrigue grew. Riju couldn't exactly remove herself from the group as all that they were seeing for the first time, so too was she. That said, she was maintained an air of composure as the journey neared its end.

In the wake of Hyrule's liberation, a few settlements had sprung up on the formerly all-wilderness route leading up to Zora's Domain. Make no mistake, deep forests and mountains cliffs still persisted throughout the area, but they were now dotted by small settlements the Gerudo entourage was able to stop at. Naturally, they were all populated by Zora, and had easy access to several major sources of water such as rivers and streams; they all led back to Zora's Domain in some way creating a watery highway for the aquatic race. Riju saw it as quite impressive.

She tried to focus on all of those things, diplomacy, politics, anything instead of the fact that once she got to her destination, she'd be presented with a statue of her boyfriend's deceased lover. Admittedly, deep down, that had always been a raise why she'd felt a tad…reluctant to ever go to Zora's Domain, because she didn't want to face the statue of Princess Mipha, previous Champion of the Zora and fiancé to her current boyfriend.

As the massive bridge came into focus, Riju sucked in a breath to calm herself. There was no use in dwelling on her unease. The future was here, it was now the present, and she would face it with all that she had.

Quite a crowd was waiting for them.

"Lady Riju!" Boomed the voice of the Zora's king, Dorephan. His imposing figure lived up to the stories, a giant, even amongst his own kind. With the scars to match.

"King Dorephan, it is an honor to finally make your acquaintance." Began the young redhead, then she turned to her left. "And yours as well, Prince Sidon."

Just as the king lived up to his reputation, so too did the prince. The smile she'd heard so much about crossed his face exposing his pointed but sparkling white teeth. "Lady Riju, I too am honored to make your acquaintance, as well as that of the rest of your people's." As his gaze fell on them, several Gerudo, including Buliara, wisely bowed their heads in respect.

The Zora king boomed with laughter. "Prince, that title may not be used for much longer, at least not without former attached to it."

Catching the hint, Riju spoke up, her enthusiasm getting the best of her. "You're going to formally pass the throne onto him?"

While the old Zora laughed, his son showed an uncharacteristic but no less amusing nervous side. Behind them, the crowd of Zora broke out into laughter and snickering. It was obvious that the topic of succession had been a common one amongst the aquatic race.

"Well, I am not getting any younger, besides, this new age belongs to you youngsters." Dorephan declared giving his son a sideways glance he straightened up upon seeing. "I have reigned long enough, and taught all that I need to. Retirement sounds mighty good right about now, but there are a few things that I must oversee first."

"Such as this meeting for one. Come! Allow us to welcome you into our home!" Sidon quickly picked up, perhaps a bit eager to change the conversation away from his impeding coronation. Riju couldn't help but giggle a little at the urge. Perhaps there would be a friendship to be found between her and her future fellow monarch.

Just as the Gerudo had spent quite some time preparing for this trip, the Zora had been spending an equal amount waiting to receive them. It showed as they were welcomed into the "surface area" of Zora's Domain, a massive bustling hub of buildings that sat above a massive lake, which itself was the _true_ home of the aquatic race. When Riju had been told that the surface area had been built up to receive visitors, the statements hadn't been exaggerations. Link's initial description had spoke of a singular structure that lay across a chasm connected only by a set of bridges. What she and her entourage were able to explore was a civilization that had a hold on the land and the sea. Within minutes, the massive group that Riju had traveled with had fanned out, everyone's interests caught by something or someone.

For those who'd never seen a Zora before, which included quite a few, it was an eye-opening experience. Many of her people stood utterly fascinated by the fish-men who easily dove off of cliffs and ledges into deep blue water. Riju predicted it wouldn't be long before diving competitions sprang up between the two races; she toyed with the prospect of getting into some herself just for the sheer fun of it all. Her secret boyfriend had given her swimming lessons and Riju would have liked to test them out, and who better than against the Zora? Granted she might not do as well as she would like but it would certainly be worth a try.

Buliara remained by her side as she was escorted deeper into the realm. On the way in, they of course passed the statue of the late Princess Mipha. King Dorehphan gave a short eulogy before the monument to his daughter; the old king made little effort to hide the sadness in his voice, but so too was there pride when he spoke of her. Likewise, when Sidon chipped in, he too looked to the statue with beaming eyes.

Riju would have liked it if they could have stayed longer, but they had other matters to attend to. She could return to the statue on her own time. Preferable when it was just her. There were quite a few things she wanted to say in front of the statue, feelings that she needed to get off of her chest, and a question she needed to ask.

Being born in a desert, a land plenty with water was the opposite of what she'd grown up with. The next three hours were spent familiarizing herself with the aquatic world of the Zora. It was the direct opposite of everything she'd grown up with, and she felt an instant love for it.

Despite being in the throes of late autumn and arguably early winter, the domain was warm. Sidon informed her that was because of the fire-attributed magicite crystals they'd installed throughout the region, ways to keep warm. Regarding the topic of the magicite that had been minded in her area, she and her advisors were shown how the crystals were now being integrated into society. The most obvious one was the "Breather Necklace", a necklace contained a wind-attributed magicite gem that created a bubble of air which could be continuously inhaled and replenished. It was with these that Riju was able to dive beneath the waves and not have to worry about her inability to breath under water.

What lay beneath the water was a massive world of light and color, yet again, the complete opposite of the desert lands her people had called their own. In the desert, going down meant finding rock and darkness, here, there seemed to be no ends to the depths of the water.

One similarity she could say the Gerudo and Zora shared was making the best out of their respective homelands. Buildings had been carved out of coral reefs just as they had been carved out of rock in Gerudo Town. Like the merchant town, the area buzzed with life, albeit instead of walking, everyone was swimming. Speaking of which, the act of trying to do so for the first time lead to some hilarious demonstrations from her people. At the very least it could be said that the Zoras got some good laughs out of the Gerudo delegation. Riju was privately grateful for the swim lessons that Link had given her which allowed her to move through the water with a tad more grace.

The architecture of the Zora was different from the Gerudo as well. She'd seen the differences in books and illustrations, but seeing then vibrant fish-styled design of the buildings. It was all so…flowing, a stark contrast to the somewhat rigid nature of her home and even the architecture of those of the Gorons and Sheikah. Like them, the Zora had their own unique style, which they were sharing with them.

What felt like a life time later, Riju returned to the service with Buliara beside her. They both took off their necklaces and tasted genuine air, taking in fistfuls of it.

"All of that was…quite amazing." Admitted the swordswoman with a soft smile.

"I figured you'd say something like that, even you can be impressed, as can the rest of our people." Riju giggled.

"Speaking of our people, are you going to be visiting Lady Sabah and her family?"

"In time, there's…some place else that I must go first." There was a pause as she gathered the courage needed to get the last word out. "Alone."

Expectedly, Buliara's eyes narrowed. "Lady Riju."

"I'm just going up in front to the statue of Mipha! That's it, I'll be in open range of everyone!" Quickly argued the teenager. She knew this was coming. Planning for it had been, well, difficult. Buliara was good at her job, sometimes too good. "Look, if it makes you feel better, you can stand off to the side! I'm just…going to pay my respects, that's all." Technical it was true; she was going to pay her respect. It's just Riju couldn't…get all that she needed to be said out there. Not unless she wanted to blow up this so far successful diplomatic mission.

Buliara fell back, but the skepticism in her eyes remained intense. She knew that Riju was hiding something, but this wasn't the time to press the topic. Like her, she knew there were some things that weren't to be discussed in public, especially when the rest of her kind were popped up for mouthfuls of fresh air as well. The bodyguard sighed signaling her acceptance of the teen's request.

It was a short walk to the statue in front of Zora's Domain. Buliara broke off, quietly fading away but still remaining close. It wasn't quite what Riju wanted, but again, she couldn't blame her bodyguard for wanting to do her duty, especially here in a land not their own.

Further compounding things, Riju found she wasn't alone at the statue.

"Prince Sidon?"

"Ah, Lady Riju, I…um…have you come to pay your respects as well?" Questioned the red-scaled Zora looking genuinely surprised to see her there.

Awkwardly nodding, she moved in front of the statue of the deceased princess. "She was…I looked up to her after hearing stories of her."

Bowing his head, a soft smile came onto the prince's face. "As did I. She was an incredibly inspiration person, albeit she didn't always believe herself to be. Ironically, that's what made her special. She did her best for the sake of others, and often that best…it was truly amazing, it was inspirational." Turning from the statue to her, the same gentle aura that she'd encountered before surrounded Sidon and passed onto her. "Link told me of you as well. He told me that with you as chieftain, the Gerudo's future is bright, just as the Zora's are bright with me next in line to succeed my father."

A crimson blush crept up on her cheeks. "Y-Yeah…that sounds an awful lot like Link. Speaking of which, I hear he's heading out to Hyrule Castle."

"Yes, I hope one day that we shall be able to lead out people into its walls, not just as Zoras and Gerudo, but as citizens of Hyrule."

She was silent for a moment. From what she'd heard and seen, Prince Sidon wasn't quite a stickler for formality, nor was he overly arrogant, he was a rather humble and noble man, traits that had endeared him to not just his people, but with some foreigners as well. All of it made her feel like she could speak a little openly with him. "I believe we are already citizens of Hyrule, we have been since the day we were born. Still…Hyrule as a nation…you were alive when that was the case."

"Only as a toddler." Laughed the shark-based man. "Even then, I remember little. What I do remember is the slide into darkness, a time that I vow shall never repeat itself."

"You and I both." Whispered the teenage Gerudo.

As she spoke the words, Riju found herself looking not forward or up but downward, at her feet. The all too familiar sense of unease she'd wrestled with for almost five years returned to her, stronger as she stood before the vintage of the woman whose place she'd come to occupy in Link's heart.

Sensing someone's gaze on her, she looked up and found herself staring into the silted orbs of the Zora prince.

"You fear you will be unable to live up to the task, don't you?" He asked in a sympathetic voice.

Riju smiled in acceptance "You know the feeling."

"Yes, quite so. When my sister passed…I was completely lost and afraid. I had no idea how or what I could do. It felt as if all the light of the future had been swelled up by darkness." When he looked over to his right at the statue, his smile brightened causing the pure white teeth to come out again. "Eventually, I realized that I was just _allowing_ myself to be swallowed by the darkness. I had the power to find the light, no matter how dim it was and bring it back to the rest of my people. So I trained, my body and mind, and I like to think that I succeeded."

Her own smile a tad brighter, Riju responded, "I'd say you've succeeded." Her emerald eyes swept around the surroundings, all of it cooked by luminous blue light borne from the watery crystals and lanterns. "Zora's Domain has flourished, and I'm sure that it will continue to do so once you assume formally assume the throne."

"And you have done the same for the Gerudo." Affirmed the red-scaled Zora as he kneeled down. It still didn't put them quite on eye-level, but spiritually speaking, Sidon was addressing Riju as an equal, and a friend. "It is thanks to you that Hyrule has the usage of these magical stones that make it possible for outsiders to truly view our home. The usage of magicite has-" His expression turned from positive to serious as his head snapped to the side.

Riju would have questioned him, but she sensed it as well.

Sixth Sense, that's what many called it, a sense of hyper awareness that allowed one to sense trouble. Some were born with it and others had it taught to them through training. Riju and Sidon were a bit of both. Given their stations, sensing danger wherever it may have come from was a must. For them, they sensed it coming from close by, too close by.

"Lady Riju!"

"Prince Sidon!"

Their respective guards were on them, forming a defensive perimeter around them. Everyone had their weapons bared and ready, their faces contorted in anger at the hooded figures.

Riju looked to Sidon, who nodded. Gently, they pushed past their guards to face the intruders.

"Appearing out in the open, you're either feeling incredibly bold or you've decided to repent for your crimes." Began the redhead with a hand on her hip.

The Yiga Clansman laughed, a sound that the Zora and Gerudo guards wanted to ensure was the last sound he ever made. "Bold, seems you've grown up a tad bit since our assault on your precious desert home, which you ants have chosen to crawl out of. As for you, Prince Sidon, I must say, it is an honor to finally meet you in person."

Sidon gave no response to the seemingly genuine respect in the traitor's voice, or the small bow he gave to go along with it. He remained composed and ready, though his eyes kept on swerving to the second hooded figure. Something about him was…off, unsettling almost. "Lay down your arms and surrender, this can end without bloodshed."

Riju had to give Sidon credit for keeping cool under pressure. Doubly so given he was speaking to the bastards who worshiped the monster who'd killed his sister a century ago. Her respect for him grew.

"Well, I'm afraid both of those things won't be happening. After all, bloodshed is why we came here." The Yiga ninja proclaimed with a hearty chuckle. "As your friend here told me, these blue waters of your homeland, Prince Sidon, they'd look quite beautiful died red with blood."

She'd been watching for a reaction, and there it came. Riju watched as Sidon's eyes went wide and his breath came to a complete halt. Darting her eyes back to the second hooded figure, she deduced him to be a Zora, he had to be given his massive height which was probably on par with Sidon's own impressive six-feet-three. Then came the reveal of what was under his dark brown-hood. Eyes that glowed bright yellow, high-lighting pure black slits just like Sidon's. Unlike the prince's, these eyes held nothing but murderous spite as they found Riju's green orbs.

Sheer impulse took over, her right arm shot out, bolts of emerald lightning snaking along her wrist then bursting from her palm.

 _ **To be continued…**_

* * *

 **Sorry, everyone. I've been on a bit of a cliffhanger binge and I just couldn't help myself. Rest assured, I won't leave things hanging for a month like I did last time. Again, sorry for the long wait in getting this chapter out. Things have changed a great deal since the last chapter and I've had to settle in much like I'm sure everyone else around the world has. Hopefully you all are doing okay, or at least getting by.**

 **The big theme of this chapter was obviously the contrast between the Gerudo and the Zora. While the Gorons make for perhaps a more direct foil to both, I thought the contrast would be interest to dive into. Especially given that in this story, Link and Mipha were engaged, and now fast forward to the present and he's courting yet another royal, the chieftain of the desert-dwelling Gerudo. As alluded to, it's yet another high-bar that Riju feels like she has to live up to, which will be explored in the next chapter, which will also include another showdown with the Yiga. Oh, and some character-spotlight for Sidon, another of my favorites from Breath of the Wild. Also…a boss fight is coming next chapter, another returning monster or something new? I'll let you all ponder which one it'll be. In the meantime, stay safe and healthy, everyone!**


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